Your Witness Matters - The Crosswalk Devotional - May 29
Your Witness Matters
By: Whitney Hopler
Bible Reading:
“After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep.” – 1 Corinthians 15:6, NIV
When I was first learning about journalism – as an editor for my high school’s newspaper – I read a story that my fellow student Scott submitted and marveled at all the great quotes he had included. But none of those quotes featured names. They were all followed by the phrase “one student said.” So, I asked Scott to attribute the quotes. It was then that he revealed the “one student” was himself! I had to explain to him that he couldn’t just make up the quotes he wanted to feature in the story. Scott learned about the importance of authenticity and credibility that day, and I had to laugh that he had even considered we might run his story without proper attribution.
I love reading the Bible’s stories of Jesus’ appearances to many different people after his resurrection. One of my favorite reports is in 1 Corinthians 15:6, which mentions that the resurrected Jesus appeared to more than 500 people at once – and that many of those people were still living at the time this verse was written, so those who read it could seek them out and hear their own stories of witnessing Jesus personally. All of those witnesses together offer credible evidence that Jesus really was resurrected from the dead and visited many people afterward.
You are also a witness to the fact that Jesus is alive. While you didn’t see him appear physically during biblical times, you’ve seen Jesus at work in your life. You’ve experienced how Jesus answered your prayers in all sorts of ways, such as by sending you guidance, giving you peace, or encouraging you. By sharing your stories of witnessing Jesus’ work in your life, you can help other people discover that Jesus is still living and active.
Sometimes you may hesitate to share your stories because you’re afraid someone will ask a hard theological question you can‘t answer. But look back at that group of 500 people. They weren’t experts; they were witnesses. A witness’s job isn’t to be the judge, the jury, or the lawyer. A witness’s only job is to say: “This is what I saw, and this is what happened to me.”
When you dare to share honest stories about how Jesus meets you in your struggles, you give others permission to be honest, too. Your authenticity can inspire others to walk closer to Jesus themselves.
This verse mentions that most of those 500 witnesses were “still living.” This was an open invitation for skeptics to go and investigate by talking to them directly about their experiences with the resurrected Jesus. Today, you are the “still living” proof for the people in your own life. You’re the witness in your office, in your gym, in your family group chat, and wherever else you can share your stories of Jesus at work in your life.
Jesus wants you to share his Gospel message in fresh ways whenever you have opportunities to do so. Just sharing simple ways that Jesus has given you hope lately or answered a specific prayer to help you can make a significant positive difference in other people’s lives. You don’t have to give people a sermon. Just witness authentically how Jesus is working in your life.
No one else can tell your stories of what Jesus is doing in your life. If you stay silent, some credible reports of God’s goodness stay hidden. But if you witness to others about how you’ve seen Jesus, you can point many people toward hope.
So, go ahead and share what you’ve seen. You never know whose life might be changed by your witness!
Intersecting Faith & Life:
As you consider how important it is for you to share your authentic stories of faith in God, reflect on these questions:
- When was a time you saw Jesus at work in your life that you haven’t yet shared with anyone?
- What’s the biggest fear that holds you back from talking about your faith with others? How can you overcome that fear, with God’s help?
- Who in your life right now needs to hear you witness about the hope that Jesus offers? How can you share a story with that person about how Jesus has given you hope?
- How does the idea of being a witness – who just says what you’ve seen – put less pressure on you than being a teacher or preacher?
- What credible evidence can people see that shows them Jesus is alive and active in your life right now?
Further Reading:
Acts 1:8
1 Peter 3:15
Psalm 107:2
Revelation 12:11
Mark 5:19
Join the conversation! Share how today’s devotional encouraged or challenged you in your walk with Christ.
Photo Credit: Unsplash/Harli Marten
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