A witness is not a street-corner preacher shouting solutions to problems that passersby are not trying to solve.
A witness is not a salesperson trying to convince a customer to buy something they can’t really afford and don’t really need.
A witness is not a social media influencer leveraging a carefully curated image to promote an agenda.
A witness is not a parent telling children how to behave and what to believe just because he/she says so.
A witness is not a teacher trying to make things clear and understandable so that students can regurgitate the correct answers on a quiz.
A witness is not a lawyer arguing a point by presenting convincing evidence or poking holes in contrary testimony.
A witness is not a judge deciding others’ fate or the outcome of a conflict.
No, a witness is a bystander simply speaking the God-honest truth of what he or she has experienced: “This is what I saw. This is what I heard. This is what I felt. This is what I know.” And then lets others’ verdicts be what they may.
The God of the Bible needs none of the former options, despite the fact that his people throughout the centuries have acted that way, and even promoted them as legitimate strategies. As I understand it, he just wants witnesses—however unremarkable, unbelievable, or unconvincing. People who, in all sincerity and simplicity, will shine the light of their truth into the dark in hopes that blind eyes might see.
