A BARRIER IN WITNESSING CHRIST?

Persis Mario Stevenson,

Christian Assembly, Dubai.

 

Do we have any barriers in witnessing Christ? How often in our day-to-day life, we speak to the people around us about Christ? Every Christian is an evangelist, as per the lord’s commission. It’s true that there are boundaries around us in preaching gospel loudly on the streets or on the way-side but how about sharing God’s love to your roommate, colleague, neighbor, or unbelieving family members? Well, if we remain silent how can the Lord’s WORD reach them? As Lord’s commissioned, we’ve got to evangelize effectively in the world. If this commission is not effective, then there is certainly a barrier in us. Let us analyze a few reasons.

There are several things, which identify a true witness. First of all, we must have the experience of meeting and personally knowing Christ. A witness can only say what he/she has personally experienced. Secondly, we must be able to express ourselves while witnessing i.e., through our expression, work, attitude, relationships and our life.  We must be ready and willing to profess our belief, and to practice the great hope that we have. (1 Peter 3:15). Thirdly, we must develop confidence in the power of God. We must depend on God alone, realizing that only God can do all things, and thereby relying on the Holy Spirit to provide the necessary confidence for witnessing. Fourthly, a witness must have compassion for those spiritually lost. A true witness will speak out what he or she has seen or heard. One of the finest examples of witnessing due to compassion is the life of Mother Teresa in the streets of Calcutta among the leprous and orphans.

 

All Christians are by definition witnesses, for we are all working along with God to spread the good news. This is the basic principle of witnessing or evangelism. This is not the sole responsibility of a select few who are labeled as “evangelist”, but it is a task set to be carried out by ‘one and all’ who have taken up the cross to follow the Lord. Each time when we fall, God picks us up, dusts us off, says “I LOVE YOU”, and we start all over.  It is this understanding of love and compassion that is lacking in us in witnessing Christ.

 

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