Silence

Featured song: Silent Witness by Bob Ayala, from his 1976 album Joy By Surprise

The last command that Jesus gave to us before He left earth was to go and make disciples (faithful followers) of everyone in the world, teaching them to obey everything that He had taught his followers while He was with them (Matthew 28:18-20). To carry out this command might actually be easier to do with strangers than with people you see every day, or those you live with.

Why is that? Well, when you share your faith with people that you meet unexpectedly, people that you might never see again, it can be just a little easier to be bold and earnest with them. After all, that person doesn’t know you, doesn’t have any pre-conceived notions about you, and you may never see them again. So I can be as bold as Billy Graham if I wish, and don’t have to worry as much about my future dealings with that person.

But people where you work, or your family — that can be a different matter. Especially with family, they know you much better, and tend to take what you say less seriously than they might take it from a stranger. Even Jesus had problems with this; in Matthew 13:55-57 it shows the reaction of people in His home town when he preached to them. They “took offense” at Him.

Is it then impossible to share your faith with parents, brothers or sisters, or with your husband or wife? Not at all. But it takes more than your words, as important as words are. What those who know you best need to see is a changed life. If my actions are no different than they were before Jesus came into my life, what does the Gospel message have to offer them that should attract them to it?

In today’s song, Bob Ayala tells the story of a wife whose life was touched by the message of salvation, and how she was preaching it to her unbelieving husband — preaching it without words. This is indirectly taken from 1 Peter 3:1, where it talks about husbands been won over without words, by the behavior of their wives. Clearly the husband knows what brought about the newness in her life; he knows about “that God of yours”. May we all make the message of Christ known to those who know us, whether with or without words.

When the morning sun peeped through the curtain in our room
I heard you on the stairway hum an old familiar tune
And though your sense of timing when you hum is really poor
You’re never late to wake me with the kiss I wake up for
Oh my lady

And you know that breakfast is a pleasure when we’re alone
And you know your presence is what makes our house a home
And every day at lunch I find a love note in my sack
That let’s me know you love me, and you’ll
Be there when I get back
Oh my lady

Only seven months ago,
Our marriage was near the end
And only seven months ago,
You’d break before you bend
Oh my lady

Lately, Sunday mornings you wake me up and kiss me goodbye
You hurry off to church alone, sometimes tears were in your eyes
And I have seen a change in you
I’ve never seen before
I wonder if that God of yours
Has room for just one more
Oh I wonder