A Good Review
A few months ago, Brian and I went to see the movie "Hacksaw Ridge." It's an incredibly moving and inspiring movie about the true story of Desmond Doss, a man who was personally convicted not to touch a gun, yet went to the front lines of World War II. Doss single-handedly saved over 50 men in one night by lowering each man, one-by-one, down a cliff's edge after most of his fellow shoulders retreated. He did all of this without carrying a weapon in the heat of open fire. If you haven't seen it, you absolutely must! As you watch it, you will probably find that it's difficult to wrap your mind around the fact that it really happened. But this post is not about, “Hacksaw Ridge”, as much as I loved the movie and was personally convicted by the story. How often do you see a movie, go to an amazing restaurant, or have an incredible experience at an event, and feel compelled to rave to others about it? No one tells you that you have to share the experience with others. It’s not like you get paid or rewarded if they go and experience it themselves [unless this is your job, but I’m talking about the average person]. The most you’d probably get out of it is some personal satisfaction, knowing that someone else enjoyed it just as much as you did. We so easily and often share our amazing experiences with others, just because we want people to benefit from the same enjoyment.So I have to ask…
Are we getting so much love and enjoyment from our relationship with Jesus that we are compelled to share it with others?
Or are we so concerned of what others might think of us if we bring up “spiritual” stuff that we hold back our testimony?Do we understand the true gravity of the sacrifice Jesus made out of His love and affection for us? I don’t know about you, but as many people as I have in my life that love me, not one of them is standing in line to be whipped, broken, die and go to Hell for me. But Jesus did. I’m moved to tears as I type this out with the thought of Jesus hanging on that cross out of pure, unadulterated, no-holds-bar, love for me. He died, so that I might have LIFE! Even on my worst day, when I’ve lost my temper with Brian or Eliza, cursed or you name it, His love is unfailing and unconditional.
Related Post: You Were Created to Know and Be Known to Others
I think of all the recordings in the Bible of when Jesus healed people. There were several times when Jesus said, “don’t tell anyone”, and they still went around town telling everyone about this amazing man, Jesus. Do YOU recognize that? Do YOU realize what He has done, and continues to do for you every day? The very fact that you have eyes to read this post, breath in your lungs, a computer or phone from which to read this post from, are all reasons to share a good review of our Lord’s love!Sometimes I think we make sharing our faith so much more complicated that it has to be because we worry about the outcome. Will this person be saved? Will this person think I’m weird? The enemy tries to keep us fearful from sharing our stories because he knows that by our testimonies we defeat him.
They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death. – Revelations 12:11 NLT
But just like when we give a good review about a movie, whether or not people choose to go watch it isn’t up to us. We can’t [legally] force them to sit in the movie theater, hold their eyes open, and experience it the same way we have. We can’t share our experience with Jesus and force people into church or into their own experience with Him. But we can share. The outcome is not ours to control.
So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. – 1 Corinthians 3:7 NLT
I’m not challenging you to go out and share your testimony with 100, 10 or even 1 person today. I’m challenging you to sit for a few minutes and really ponder on the fact that Jesus has already taken care of everything for you. He not only saved you from Hell, but also continues to give you life to this day! Just meditate on His goodness, and let’s see if you don’t automatically feel compelled to share this radical, scandalous love.