31 Days of Five Minute Friday Free Writes

“May the Lord lead your hearts into a full understanding and expression of the love of God and the patient endurance that comes from Christ.” 2 Thessalonians 3:5 (NLT)

Day 21: Testimony

As a teacher, I spent my career taking the broad, complicated goals given to us by the state and breaking them down into more basic, doable parts so that my students could learn step by step, building confidence until they could demonstrate mastery of a skill that at one time seemed overwhelming.  

As adults, we face complicated goals to conquer, too. The most important to me these days, is to live so that my life is a testimony to others. We’ve been given all the standards we need to be successful in God’s Word, but I’m going to be honest with you, like my Second Graders I’ve found myself overwhelmed by the voluminous, complex lessons and instructions within the Bible. Have you ever been there? Our desire is great but our confidence wavers. That’s why we need the Teacher.

“Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?” Jesus replied, ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: Love your neighbor a yourself.’” Matthew 22:37-39 (NLT)

“So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” John 13:34-35 (NLT)

Jesus breaks living our lives as a Godly testimony down into basic, doable parts: Love God, Love others.

When our hearts, minds, and souls are focused on loving God, we begin to try to understand and live out those complex lessons and instructions in the Bible and in so doing that, our lives will bear evidence of that Godly love. Putting others above ourselves, loving them as Jesus loves us will also be a profession of our faith without us having to say a word. 

Is it easy? No. Can we do it on our own? Of course not. But, when we put our confidence in Christ and not ourselves, step by step our lives will demonstrate and express the love the world so desperately needs.  I don’t think it’s a skill we will master in this life but it’s one that we’ll get better at as we put love into practice. 

Love God. Love others. This is our life testimony!