Witnessing about Christ is Contagious

A great crowd gathers down the street, and you immediately wonder what the commotion is all about. You may even wander down the block to get a look for yourself. When you get there, you notice a man speaking on the street corner and the crowd is mesmerized. You stay a while and listen. You take out your phone and go live on social media. You want everyone to see what you are seeing.

I remember when I was in college being intrigued by ‘preachers’ who gathered crowds to talk about Jesus. Being Orthodox Christian, I rarely agreed with what they were preaching, but respected their willingness to witness for Christ nonetheless.

The Lord said to his disciples, “Every one who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven; but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny him before my Father who is in heaven.  He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and he who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.”  Then Peter said in reply, “Lo, we have left everything and followed you.  What then shall we have?”  Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of man shall sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.  And every one who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life.  But many that are first will be last, and the last first.”

Matthew 10:32-33; 37-38; 19:27-30

God has always promised to honor those who choose to witness for Him to others. The Church calendar is filled with examples of witnesses, many martyrs, who boldly stood in public places and confesses their faith in Christ. Their witness wasn’t always verbal. In fact, the strongest witness has always been in their actions.

Today the Church commemorates a saint who became Christian because of the commitment he witnessed in others. Saint Anastasios the Persian was intrigued by the reverence Christians had for the Cross of Christ. If Christians were so devoted to an instrument of torture, which they believed to have healing powers, he wanted to know about it. He not only became a Christian, but he was also martyred for his faith by his own people.

To be honest, I don’t recall too many people coming to faith by listening to courtyard preachers in college. It isn’t words but actions that convert people to Christ. It is the willingness to be ridiculed, or worse, for something that draws a crowd. It is a life of dedication that intrigues others to ‘look into’ what makes you who you are. It is why so many voluntarily get arrested during protests.

How does that play out when it comes to your faith in Christ? It won’t be telling someone you are a Christian that draws a crowd. It will be your willingness to live by a higher standard in the face of mockery. If you want to draw others to Christ, start by living the life He desires for you. Start by making Him the most important part of your life, not just when it is convenient, but every day. Don’t complain about it either.

If there is no difference between the way we live as Christians, then we are just another member of the crowd. If our priorities are the same as the crowd, (money, power, and prestige for starters) then our life will not be a witness for Christ. If we live as the world lives, we are not worthy of Christ.

Our willingness to leave everything the world has to offer behind will gather a crowd. Our willingness to pass on a crooked business deal will gather a crowd. Accepting there are more important things in life than money, power, and prestige, will gather a crowd. If for no other reason, the crowd wants to see what happens next.

What will happen next is the crowd will ask themselves. “What is it about this Jesus person that we are willing to give up money, power, and prestige? These Christians are poor and without influence, but they are happy. Maybe we should investigate this some more.”

Then our witness for Christ will be contagious and spread His Hope to others.