Eye Witness part 5
An experience beats an argument every times. You can try to convince someone of something, but unless you've truly been convinced of it yourself it is going to come off as fake and disingenious. "Why would I believe that when YOU don't even believe it?" And that's why we we speak of preaching the gospel--the good news--we speak of witnessing. Because a witness is someone who has been there, done that, and got the t-shirt. They can tell you all about it because they experienced it. And since we're talking about the gospel--again, the GOOD NEWS that Daddy loves us--that means we've experienced His love, and we're sharing that experience by loving others with the love that we are loved with! It's the idea behind Philippians 3:12, "...that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus." We witness His love for us--by letting Him love us... by letting the Holy Spirit lead and guide us into all truth--and then we share that love with others. We receive it and release it. Because that's when it's real. That's when the Word becomes flesh. More than just sentences in a book, but a living Word that lives in us! But since it comes FROM the heart we have to experience it WITH the heart. We have to see with our heart. Hear with our heart. Feel with our heart. We have to live from the inside out. Filling ourselves with what we've been filled with. Apprehending what we've been apprehended of. Letting the inner man... out. Letting the hidden man of the heart stop hiding. It's Christ in you the hope of glory, right? The hope of REVEALED glory. Because when we know and believe it (love) is in there... that's when it comes out naturally. Because it's too big to contain. Filled means "filled to overflowing." Witness means sharing what you've experienced. Not because you're trying to scare people straight. But because it's too good to keep to yourself! Because it's the best thing going. Because it's a more excellent way. And when people see what you've got--when they witness what you've witnessed--then they find out that they had it all along but just didn't know it. Like the characters in the Wizard of Oz. The journey isn't about getting something you don't have. It's about discovering what you do have. Discovering who you really are as Jesus reveals Himself to you, and in you, and through you, and as you! That's when your test becomes a testamony, right? That's when your mess becomes a message. That's when you really have something to say. And you know the old adage, "Preach the gospel at all times. And if you have to, use words." We are the witnesses, because we've seen and heard. And guess what: people are watching. Perhaps watching to see us fail. But also watching to see if what we've got is real. Because that's what THEY want; something real. Something THEY can experience, and share. So instead of trying to shove Jesus down people's throats, and watching them choke, what we ought to do is love the hell out of them. Open our arms the same way we witnessed Jesus's arms open on the cross. Invite people to share what we've got. And watch them start running TO God instead of running FROM Him. Wouldn't THAT be something to witness...?