But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.
-- Acts 1:8
Being a “Jesus Witness” is an important part of our journey of faith as a follower of Jesus, but I have to admit there have been times in my life when I wondered how being a witness worked. As a teacher at Thousand Oaks High School with a classroom filled with students of various ethnic and religious backgrounds, I sometimes questioned how being a “Jesus Witness” fit into the daily classroom routine. Although there was nothing as obvious as a daily Bible reading, or talking about my personal beliefs, God found ways of using my faith, even when I was not aware.
The year I taught while undergoing cancer treatments, God opened so many doors for me to be a witness. Parents felt free to tell me they and their children were “praying for me,” which often led to further dialog. I was also invited to speak at Baccalaureate and share how my faith kept me going on the difficult days. It was, however, a parent who shared her daughter’s college essay which truly taught me how Jesus uses us as witnesses.
In the essay, her daughter wrote how she regained her faith “as she watched me twirl the cross which hung on a chain around my neck” when I taught during those long, tough days. Her daughter continued, “On the worst days when Mrs. Z seemed so fragile and tired, her faith in God was most apparent. It occurred to me that God is not there to be praised solely during the joyous times in our lives. True belief is holding onto one’s faith when God makes the least bit of sense.”
Thank you, Jesus, for the ways in which we are able to be a witness for you.
