Our Witness

Will you lay down your life for me? Would you be my servant? Do people know you are/we are God’s people by the way we love each other? Three questions that are asked in this week’s text in John 13! What would your answer be? Oh sure Jesus I will be your servant, you can tell by what I do when I …., Yes my Lord I will lay down my life for you, but first let me go bury my ___________! (father, friends, mother, education, what I am doing today, my plans for life, my hopes my goals, my dreams) How can people in community know we love each as Christ loves us if we don’t ever spend time with one another or be willing to set aside what we would do to be with our brothers and sisters? There was a time when in our belief that churches of Christ might have been accused of that, because we were always ‘At church”! But, I doubt that could be used as a reason in our present time in this Country! Extremism by humans is never a witness for right in our Country or Church. Christianity is always a balance not a chaotic approach or action. If we need to fight against evil then fight, if we are at peace then be peaceful, if we love one another then be committed!

Being, I think a realist most of the time, I realize that church attendance or even sharing times together in out of “church” time is not going to be a witness to most people in general that in God’s kingdom we love and/or trying to love each other as Jesus loves us! BUT, I do think there is witness to family members or maybe all folks, one at a time. It is difficult to balance our lives with the purposes of our hearts and yet God calls us to do just that! I would imagine it was difficult for the Apostles to do that, especially after the church was driven out of Jerusalem after Stephen’s death. They didn’t have text messaging or IPhones. So, Preacher tell us how we do this? After all that is why you have written the first part of this article?

Well since you asked! The WORD scripture uses is COMMITTED. I expect Kathy to know that I am committed to her first because I said I was in exact words! I want her to see it in the way I look at her! The tone I use with her is one way to communicate to her that she is first in my life under God! Sometimes I have had to ask her forgiveness because the words and tones didn’t convey what is truly my heart. My touch whether it is physical or just a brush, or a look

or…….. You see the same way I expect Kathy to see from me my commitment to her is the same way I expect you to see my commitment to you as a brother or sister in the kingdom. It is our witness to a sinful world. Give it a thought! Dave