Witnessing...you know the "christian" formula we invented to tell others about Jesus...since we got to make an event out of it. We have to take classes like F.A.I.T.H and know our "Christian Alphabet"--Accept, Believe, Confess--before we're allowed to witness. Yeap, even Jesus did the study Share Jesus Without Fear, because He was scared of Himself. We've made witnessing into this massive thing-to-do and we've totally screwed up what Jesus originally planned.
Jesus said, "you will be my witnesses." (Acts 1:8) He did not say go and witness. It's not something you go and do. It's something You are. Everything you do witnesses Christ to this world. The question is what kind of witness are you? Does your witness--your life--lift Jesus up and allow Him to draw people to Himself (John 12:32) or does your witness--your life--make Jesus want to spit you out of His mouth? (Rev 3:14-22)
If you witness a crime, what happens? Did you do something? No, you just saw it. What happens? You become something. You become a witness. You become a part of a bigger story. Jesus didn't tell people about a bigger story. He lived out the bigger story, God's story of redemption. Then whoever came in contact with Him witnessed it and they became a part of God's redemption story because of it.
This world is looking for a bigger story, a redemption story. They are wanting to witness that there is more to life than this. They are wanting to witness that there is such a thing as faith, hope, and love.
We would rather show somebody a diagram, than to show them Jesus alive inside of us. We would rather walk the "Roman Road" with them, than walk down life's road with them hand in hand so that they can see that Jesus makes a difference.
We've made this witness thing into something so impersonal. (so we don't have to get close and so we don't have to get our hands dirty) When Jesus walked into people's lives, he was very personal. He didn't go up to Zacchaeus and say, "If you were to die tonight, would you go to heaven or hell?" No, he went up to Zacchaeus and said, "Stop hiding up in that tree. Come on down. Let's go eat and hangout at your place. Come follow me." And this changed Zacchaeus' life because no one wanted to hang out with him and now this Jesus dude comes in and shows Zacchaeus what heaven is like, instead of just asking him about it. Now money, which controlled his life earlier, didn't even matter anymore and he gave it all away for he found the "treasure in the field." (Matt 13:44) He found the greatest love ever and he was willing to give it all away just to be apart of that love.
This world is looking for a bigger story, a redemption story. They are wanting to witness that there is more to life than this. They are wanting to witness that there is such a thing as faith, hope, and love.
All we have to do is...
Love God.
Love God's redemption story.
Love people.
Be God's redemption story.
"For you will be my witnesses..."
-----------------------------------------
Sources
The Bible