What about you?

I am going to say a word and you tell me what is the first thing that comes to your mind. Okay, ready? Here it is...testify.

That's it...testify...or maybe testimony...or witness. What did you think of? A trial? Maybe someone who was up for a murder charge? Did you think of truth or evidence? Maybe you went negative and thought about the command to not bear false witness against someone?

In my fellowship I believe most everyone would first think of a court trial or some legal proceeding. I have never really heard "testifying" or "witnessing" in everyday language. But in the New Testament you find it used mostly in reference to telling someone about the good things God has done, is doing, or will do in your life. They were told to bear witness, to testify.

• Jesus told his disciples that they would be dragged before high officials to witness about him. Matthew 10:18

• John the Baptist came to bear witness about Jesus so others might believe in him.John 1:7

• There was a man who had been freed from an evil spirit to whom Jesus said, "Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you."

I think we spend too much time talking about how well our favorite team is doing and not near the time talking about what God is doing or has done in our lives. In Hebrews 10:12-13 the writer says to

"See to it brothers that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin."

How can we encourage one another if we do not share how God is working in our lives?
How easy is it for someone's heart to be hardened towards God if Christians do not share how Christ has made a difference in their lives?

Witness, testify, whatever you want to call it today, Christians need to profess what the eternal God is doing and has done in their lives. When we don't then we rob God of his deserved glory.

A line to an old hymn we have sung for decades says:

If the name of the Savior is precious to you, if his care has been constant and tender and true, if the light of his presence has brightened your way, oh will you not tell of your gladness today?

Peter and John were called before some officials and ordered to stop talking about Jesus. They replied,

"Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God's sight to obey you rather than God. For we cannot help but speak about what we have seen and heard."
Acts 4:19-20

What about you?