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Growing up we played silly games. Fun games that connected strands of strangers and tethered them to a specific time and place with a memory. One of those was the cookie jar game.
It’s probably more of a chanty thing. You remember.
Crowd: “Amy stole the cookie from the cookie jar!”
Amy: “Who me?”
Crowd: “Yeah, you!”
Amy: “Couldn’t be!”
Crowd: “Then who?”
Amy: “Elise!”
Crowd {redirected}: “Elise stole the cookie from the cookie jar!” … and the game went on to never really gather the cookies that were stolen. Who thinks these things up? Why can’t we just pass around the cookies and eat them with milk instead? I hear your “Amen.”
Sometimes I think that those of us who are Jesus lovers play the cookie game with the Great Commission.
Jesus Lovers: “Susan, tell the world that the Lord is good!”
Susan: “Who me?”
Jesus Lovers: “Yeah, you!”
Susan: “Couldn’t be!”
Jesus Lovers: “Then who?”
Susan points to another Christian who she thinks has less kinks in her armor. “Tara!”
And the game goes on, but the directive to be a witness for Jesus Christ does not. It is sharply cut off and redirected at the “Who me?”
I play games and pass up opportunities to influence others toward Christ all the time. I bow out from repping Him to the world… or to that friend, volleyball mom, neighbor, family member, or co-worker who is in desperate need of His grace. Why? Because I like my comfort. It’s fluffy and I’m shallow like that far too often.
It’s not such a silly game when eternal matters are on the line, is it?
It’s a sad game.
One that I need to stop playing.
One that we all need to stop playing.
I can almost hear you whispering to me in hushed tones. I am all about Jesus, Gwen. Love that guy! I totally dig His grace, love, forgiveness, and peace. Oh… and His comfort! Love His comfort. Love the epic lay-down-your-life and rise-again Easter thing. BUT don’t ask me to go talking about Him or anything. I just can’t. My life is complicated. I don’t know enough about the Bible. My marriage is on the fritz, I’m unemployed, and my kids are total prodigals, I can’t possibly be used by God to do holy stuff.
If we are being honest, I think all of us would agree that faith in Christ would be a whole lot more comfortable without that scary witnessing thing. Am I right?
It is essential that we be motivated beyond us. And this does not mean you need to start handing out Bible tracks on street corners or leaving them with a tip at the next restaurant you go to like your uncle Bob does.
It means that we need to want what Jesus wants. To do what Jesus did.
Jesus was all about doing the will of the Father. “For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me.” (John 6:38, ESV)
Beyond that, for you and me to do the will of the Father we need to want to do the stuff that Jesus wants us to do. See? It’s one of those pesky heart-matter items.
And He told His followers what He wants us to do just prior to His ascension. “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, AND YOU WILL BE MY WITNESSES in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:8, emphasis mine) Replace the word you in that last sentence with your name.
{Your name} will be His witness. {Your name} will be given opportunities to influence others toward Jesus.
Nervous yet?
Don’t be. The call to be a witness might seem intimidating, but remember, those words rolled directly off the loving lips of Jesus and He would never ask you to do anything that He wasn’t going to help you with! Besides, He doesn’t really have any glowing candidates of perfection to call up. We are all just fumbling fools who fall more frequently than we’d like to admit.
You are qualified because of your Messiah, not because of your mess. {Tweet this!}
“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10)
Dear Lord,
You are good. It is my greatest joy to worship You. Please help my worship to spill over in all areas of life. Give me courage to do what You have created me to do. Empower me to help others see You and to point them in Your direction so those around me can find the hope they are desperate for.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
FOR YOUR REFLECTION and RESPONSE
Have you ever played the cookie jar game with the great commission? What is ONE THING you can do today to be a witness for Jesus? Visit my blog or send me a direct message on Instagram and tell me your one thing. {I love hearing from you!}
Light it up today, friend.
🌸 GWEN
Today’s devotion is an excerpt from my most recent book, I Want It ALL. Tired of going through the motions when it comes to your relationship with God? Ready for a more vibrant walk with Jesus? Learn how to grow in faith, power, and impact according to the Word of God. And there’s a Bible Study right in the back of the book! Order your copy of I Want It ALL today from Amazon, your favorite retailer or my webstore today.
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Comments 11
I can let His peace guard my heart so will speak for Him and stand up for Jesus.
Love this! We do play the “game” way too often, or I should say I play that game way too often. I know that the Holy Spirit will send another when I am not obedient to His will of sharing as He wishes non will perish. But I needed this reminder that I need to follow His directive, which is also my desire, that all would come to know Him.
Gwen, I share many bible quotes daily on Facebook in order to share with family and friends. I also have typed a handout on the way to be saved and leave in various places. I try to share God’s love through smiles and kindness and mentioning His name as often as I am led to!
One practical act I can do to spread the Gospel (The Good News!) is to show those in the medical community that although I have chronic illnesses my inner hope, strength and joy comes from Jesus alone! I try to look for any opportunity to share my story of redemption to those who wonder why I can have peace with the health problems I continually go through.
Amen 🙏🏻
“9 For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;
10 that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;
11 strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy;
10 giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.”
Colossians 1:9-12 (NKJV)
“17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him,
18 the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,
19 and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power”
Ephesians 1:17-19 (NKJV)
We had 2 men travel from Texas to help put up drywall in our home we are building in Colorado. ( friends of my daughter in law) I prayed for an opportunity to tell them about Jesus. It did not happen…so..I am writing two thank you letters. In the letter I will tell each what Jesus has done in my life and may the gospel call beckon them!
so many ways we can be a witness to Christ .I personally go on Live on FB to read my Daily Devotions and pray for my friends who join me. that’s a great way to be a Witness to Jesus.
Thank you for writing this! It was encouraging in many ways, and now I don’t feel like such a schmuck.
Along with the cookie song, I was reminded of those “If you love Jesus” or “If you’re not ashamed of Him” memes. Am I wrong of thinking that could apply here too?
Author
Hey, Cari! Good thoughts! Sure they can apply… anything that allows our lives to display HIS hope is a good thing. 🙂
Blessings,
GWEN
I can witness more to the people I encounter in my everyday life!😀
I am weak in this area, too many times saying no to what I know the Holy Spirit is prompting me to do. But there are times, I have listened, and this is how it went: My husband and I were in a dept. store and one of his co-workers came over and she was telling of her struggles at home. I did not know this woman from Adam but that little voice kept says, ask to pray with her. Words popped out of my mouth, “Do you have a church that you attend”, she stammered out that she sometimes went. I asked her if she would like to pray. She said yes. We walked to the entrance way just outside the store which was glass enclosed. I held her hands and we prayed right there. She was so happy after and I swear she sighed a big sigh of relief. And then there is that little reward that comes to us afterward. I heard, I listened, acted and a joy bubbles us inside me. Wow this is a revelation for me, the person who was home bound with Agoraphobia, who would almost faint if I had to speak out loud in a group of people. He provides for us and changes us if need be.
Author
Love this, Burnetta!! Thanks for sharing! Keep listening to those heart prompts, friend.
Blessings,
GWEN