Have you ever noticed that in church we talk about things like our testimony, or evidence of proof? When this happens there’s a tendency to start at the beginning of your “walk” with Christ. This can make for a really long testimony if you asked Jesus into your heart at the age of 3, like I did. I’ve actually never loved my testimony, because it feels like nothing has happened in my life. Nothing that could help someone see Jesus anyway. In college, someone told me that my story reminded them of Esther. That while Esther never heard God speak directly to her, she still had faith in Him and that faith gave her the courage to save her people. This really encouraged me and made me more likely share that part of my testimony.
I’ve realized something though in the last few years. My testimony doesn’t have to include my whole walk with God. My testimony can be as simple as a struggle that should, according to the world, make me into a bitter, unpleasant person. The Samaritan woman does what each of us should do when we have any kind of encounter with Christ. Share that moment with the people around us.
Last week we read John 4:4-42 and we asked the “Question: What do we learn about God?”. This week please read through the story again and ask yourself the question:
What Do We Learn About Man?
Mankind is Skeptical
After Jesus told the woman who He was, the Messiah, she had to spread the word. She told everyone she met about her encounter with Jesus and because of that people believed:
“Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony […]. So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them […] And because of his words many more became believers. They said to the woman, ‘We no longer believe just because of what you said;
now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.”
(John 4:39, 42)
But note, it was not until they heard from Jesus, himself, that some honestly believed. This is a great example of what each of us should do after we’ve come to know Jesus. Go out and proclaim who he is to us and to the world. There will be people though that need more than just a testimony. Remember, every time we share the Gospel we plant a seed of hope. But until a person goes to the source, the Bible, they won’t truly know God.
I encourage each of you, take a moment today and write down an encounter you had with God. This encounter could be something that happened in the past or something that happened recently. It doesn’t have to be “big”; it could be as simple as a verse you read in the Bible or an encounter you had in the grocery store. Think about what God is telling you through that moment and share it with someone who might need encouragement.
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Please leave a comment about what you learned about man in this chapter.
Bethany Thomas is the Publicity Coordinator and a contributing writer for Shaken & Stirred. She is a daughter of God, a wife, and a dog mom. When not writing for the blog, you are most likely to find her reading a fantasy novel or crafting at her home in Sapulpa, OK.
Photo by Hannah Morgan on Unsplash