Withness and Witness: Be Present in the Present

All of us have our spheres of influences – those whom we walk alongside with in closeness during our treks through this dusty earth on our way to heaven. We have their ear – so to speak – and they have ours. As with all advice, we are to be as the Bereans, who even fact checked the Apostle Paul with the Scriptures to see if what he was saying was true Truth. Our spheres of influences may include those in our families, our close circle of friends or those we perhaps work with day in and day out. These are those whom we both respect and love, who are not unfamiliar as to how we live our lives, and who also are discerners of our priorities and we of theirs. They have a good grasp of how we walk through this life and what is important to us. It does us well to remember that if we profess Christ as Lord of our lives, we are to live as He is Lord, through His power and for His glory and for our good.

It is also important for us to examine our Lord’s life as well and the example He set forth for us to follow. Scripture tells us that those who claim to live in Him must walk as He did. How did He selflessly and effectually witness under all the circumstances He walked through? His witness was clear and distinct – not muddled or muddied by the world. He spoke plainly, indeed lovingly, to those who were not consumed with the rightness of their own ways. Indeed, the broken, the hurt, the comfortless, the heavy laden all had ears to hear. He was present in the present – no matter how exhausted and hounded He may have been. Those in His spheres were His mission field. And His words were clear. Pristinely clear. Further, His works and walk matched His words. What He said He did and what He did He said. Most certainly, we will live what we believe to be true. Talk can be ever so cheap. And our talk as believers is to match our walks. Just as the Lord Jesus, our lives are to be a clear testimony fleshed out for others to see. Not perfectly mind you  – as no one has it down pat or, like Enoch, God would just simply take us home.  

So how are we doing in this? What are the lines in our walking story? Do we flesh out our beliefs? Do we walk and speak in a manner worthy of the Gospel? Do we speak words that make the soul’s in our spheres stronger? Our work is a worthy work and we are to live our lives for an audience of One. For Jesus’ sake (as well as our own) we are to imitate His example. If we claim faith we are to live it - to bring Him glory both through our words and our works. If we long for souls to be won to Jesus then we are to walk as He did through His power - be a “walking letter” from Christ - known and read - that those around us may know we have been with Jesus.