One Thing: 7 Days to Discover a Simpler FaithUkázka

ONE THING TO KNOW ~ When someone asks you questions about your faith, does your heart start to pound, or do your palms get sweaty? Does it suddenly feel as though your mind goes blank or that you’ve become paralyzed by the fear of saying the wrong thing? Sharing our faith is surprisingly simple, but sometimes we can get deterred by anxiety or uncertainty. In our conversations, we can get caught up in the weeds, so to speak, when we allow others to overcomplicate and distract us from the simple beauty of God’s saving grace. We may get off track with questions such as: Is evangelism the most important thing or is social justice? Do you believe “once saved always saved”? Do you believe that God chose us (Calvinism) or that we chose God (Arminianism)? Do you believe Genesis 1 is a literal account of creation? Do you really believe in a place called Hell? Who’s going there and what determines that? In John 9, after Jesus healed a blind man, every person- from his neighbors to the Pharisees, to the disciples had questions—and rightly so! This man had been blind since birth. For years he begged for money near the town gate, in full view of every passerby. After his sight was restored, some wanted to know if it was really the same guy. Others questioned how and why this miracle could have taken place. And many questioned who it was that performed such wonderful healing. As they interrogated the blind man, the Pharisees accused Jesus of being a sinner. But the blind man replied in John 9:25, “Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!” It’s the same for you and me. Before Jesus entered the scene, we were blind to the truth of the Gospel because of our sins. We walked in darkness (Proverbs 4:19 and John 11:10). But then we met the Lord. He washed us clean by His blood, healed our brokenness, and opened our eyes. Now we see! I’ll be the first to say that as Christians, we need to know the Bible and how to defend our faith with gentleness and love. But you don’t have to have a master’s degree in theology, eschatology, and exegesis in order to explain the Gospel and to tell how Jesus transformed your life. In a world that overcomplicates everything and tells you to be quiet about your faith, your testimony (your witness) is the one thing that is needed to share the transforming power of Jesus Christ with others. If you haven’t done so already, take some time this week to write down your testimony. Who were you before Jesus changed your life and how did He change your life? Ask God to give you boldness in sharing with others how you were blind, but now you see!