When someone has been working out in a tobacco field all day you know where they've been because you can smell it on their clothes. When I walk through the door my wife can instantly tell if I've eaten Mexican, because she can smell in on my clothes. We don't have to announce where we've been because people can tell. Not always by smell but in how we act, what we're wearing, how we're talking. I posed this question to my youth and now I'll pose it to you. Have you ever met someone and without them telling or you asking, you just KNEW they were a Christian? If so, what about them made you feel so confident that they were a Christian? Perhaps it was their constant happiness/joy, their attitude, friendliness, way they spoke, people they hung out with, or other things they did. Now think of a person you've met that you'd be extremely surprised if you discovered they were a Christian. What about them led you to believe they couldn't be a Christian? You probably have met one or both types of people in your life.
Now evaluate yourself. I know most of us (self included) like to think we are perfect Christians and that anyone who sees us sees Jesus Oozing out of us...but let's be real. We all mess up (it's called sin). The chances of a perfect Christian are ZERO. So I ask that in evaluating yourself that you be honest, no one will know your result, there's no one keeping score, this is just to help you grow.
Have you ever noticed yourself doing or saying some of the things you described about the non-Christian? Perhaps your language was foul, you had a soul attitude, etc. It happens. It's hard to be happy all the time, but we have to realize that we are walking, talking, testimonies for Christ (both good and bad). Regardless where we are at, what we are doing, who we are with, people should be able to at a single glance say "Hey, that person has been with Jesus!"
Look at the Scripture for today:
Acts 4:13 NKJV
13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus.
When the Sanhedrin came upon Peter and John they immediately noticed that Peter and John were different. They had a special BOLDNESS that stood out. These men didn't go to seminary, didn't have weeks of witnessing training, they didn't have Gospel Tracts to go by, they were uneducated and untrained. Yet the Sanhedrin could tell that they had been with Jesus. Not because they asked, or because Peter and John told them, but because of their actions, their boldness, and who they lived for.
A lot of times we feel like in order to witness or share the Gospel with someone we have to have a degree from a seminary, follow a Gospel Tract, or say the "right" words. But really, if we model our lives after Christ's, our lifestyle should do the witnessing for us.
If you attended church yesterday (Sunday), your friends should be able to see that you've been with Jesus. Just as plainly as someone smelling like tobacco walking in from a tobacco field. If not, I encourage you to rediscover your relationship with Christ. He loves you and never left. He still waits with open arms.
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