The Witness

     Last Sunday our pastor talked about how our prayers need to lead to action.  That is so true, yet so many of us miss opportunities because we live such busy lives.  We often miss the quiet nudging from God.  Then other times we feel it but don't take action because we are either too shy, too reserved, or just too afraid of either failure or what others will think. 
     In my own life, I have missed opportunities because I did not know what to say or how to say it, and I have had to live with the guilt of "what if?"  I was weak, lacked courage and, most of all, faith. 
     The questions I used below were found in a column I once read on "How To Share Your Faith."

The Witness

 I passed him on the street-

He was grungy and not at all clean and neat.

I silently wondered, “Do I dare?”

As I smelled the uncleanness in the air.

 

Ashamed, I turned and walked back by,

stopping to say a friendly ”Hi!”

 

Then I asked, “Do you have a spiritual belief?”

He didn’t turn to leave, much to my relief.

I let him talk a while

Listening with a smile.

 

“To you, who is Jesus?” I soon asked.

He said he had heard of him in the past.

So I questioned more,

Hoping to open a long-closed door.

 

 “Do you believe in a Heaven and Hell?”

He needed to know where he would eventually dwell.

I had no response for his yes or no,

As he bowed his head and answered low.

 

A tear fell as I touched his hand.

This was new to me for I had no witness plan.

My courage was fading fast

Until I heard some words at last.

They tumbled out-

I said it softy though I wanted to shout,

“If you died today, where will you go?

If what you believe is not true, would you want to know?”

 

 I felt so helpless standing there.

All was silent; not a breeze stirred the air.

 

I waited, hoping, wanting to tell the story-

Wanting to share God’s glory.

Yet he’d had all he wanted to hear,

And I watched as he walked away and slowly began to disappear.  

 

My tears began to fall;

I felt so small. 

Then I heard a voice say

As I began to pray,

“Don’t have regrets;

  For sharing my words with a stranger you met.

Well done,

My faithful one!”

                                               Mary Crisp Jameson    2-14-2014