“When Kathy whispers, EVERYONE can hear it,” they’d tease. Our department at work consisted of 25 women, working side-by-side in small cubicles. Each of us talked on the phone virtually nonstop and, in spite of my attempts to lower my voice, there were times when I could be heard across the room.
Our lives as Christians are a lot like my loud whisper, often drawing the attention of those around us without our realizing it. Our lives do speak—whether of light or of darkness.
Have you ever noticed that when you walk through a neighborhood at night, your eyes instinctively turn to look into the houses that have the lights on and the curtains pulled back? That’s because people are drawn to the light.
Jesus said we are the light of the world. People who don’t know Jesus live in darkness. It’s no wonder that their eyes are instinctively drawn to the light in us. They watch us whether we realize it or not.
When the world looks at our lives, what do they see? When they observe our actions that speak louder than words, what do they hear? I found out once from someone who secretly watched my life.
Day after day, Freda sat in her car outside the office after work and pondered a question: “What is it that’s different about that girl?” Then she’d go home and say to her mother, “There’s a new girl at the office. Something is different about her, but I don’t know what it is.”
Normally I’m bold about my Christian witness, but as a new employee I was very focused on learning my job rather than on getting to know and witness to co-workers. Because of my efforts to apply myself, I initially didn’t share Jesus with anyone at work or tell them that I was a Christian.
So how did Freda know there was something different about me? What was it she saw—and how?
Perhaps it can be explained like this. In a room full of people, it’s pretty easy to spot two people in love. You can see it in their eyes, their gestures and their actions, often without a spoken word.
I believe that’s the kind of thing Freda saw. I was in love with Jesus and took Him to work with me every day. Without my saying a word, my relationship with Him became evident to those around me.
Ultimately Freda and I became friends, and I began to share with her about Jesus. Although she had been raised in church, she had never been born again. She seemed to have everything going for her, yet she knew something was missing.
When she observed what a difference Jesus made in my life, she gave her life to Him. Then she confessed that she had noticed something different about me from the moment we met.
Every day our lives speak to those around us. What does your life say? Does it show forth the love and nature of Jesus to a lost and dying world? Does it show the joy and peace of God in the midst of the tests and trials of life? Does it show forth the character, integrity and purity of Jesus to a world that is void of absolutes and steeped in sin?
If we’re truly in love with Jesus and live for Him, then our lives WILL show forth Christ. But for them to do this we must cultivate a fresh, first-love passion for Him. As we do, our lives will have a greater eternal impact on others. The more our love for Him flourishes, the more the world will see and be drawn to Him.
Sometimes shining forth Christ will be very natural and seemingly effortless. Other times, it will require a deeper work of the cross and a determination to manifest the love of God to the unlovely. Either way, let’s determine to glorify God by living lives that speak of, and shine forth, Jesus.
PRAYER POWER
Tell the Lord how much you love Him and receive His love in return. Share His love with others around you and consistently pray for them. Remember those in authority over you, especially our church leaders, local officials and federal government. Join us and other groups focusing prayer on Washington DC and Florida this week.
I Thes. 5:17
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