In a few days time I will be returning home! I can’t wait to see my family and friends.
Prior to participating in the World Race I was blessed to serve in several different countries on short term trips. Every time I left, I came back with a new perspective. It was almost like a patterned formed: I would have two or three formative experiences which would reveal something new about God’s character. Then, I would spend some time reflecting on its significance in my life. Finally, I would wrap the whole experience up, put a bow on it, and feel totally confident sharing my thoughts with anyone who cared to hear more.
Well, this past year on the Race pretty much takes the cake for me when it comes to new experiences. Unlike previous trips, I’m finding it difficult to package their significance into neatly organized stories. For starters, there has been an unusual degree of culture shock traveling to 13 countries on 3 continents. Then add to it the extreme polarity of living in some of the most impoverished, dangerous, and/or broken communities in this world while simultaneously enjoying the planet’s most beautiful destinations. On the one hand I’ve been a member of the local community, and then on the other I’ve played the part of the tourist that gets to enjoy all of the pleasures that the locals can’t afford. I’ve seen first hand unspeakable evils that take place unabated everyday, and I also bear witness to true supernatural miracles of God. The weight of these realities has caused a definite internal struggle in me. This time, I don’t feel like I have all of my ducks in a row prior to my return.
So, naturally, as I’ve been attempting to untangle these thoughts God has been speaking to me about the power of testimony. Do you remember the story of the woman at the well? Jesus, in an extremely culturally inappropriate manner, strikes up a conversation with a Samaritan woman while resting at a well. During the course of the conversation he reveals to the woman that he know about her five previous husbands; and furthermore, he even knows that the man she is currently with is not her husband. Understanding that it’s impossible for anyone to know these details about her life, she recognizes him as a prophet of God. Jesus, in turn, reveals to her that he is in fact the Messiah. Then the woman runs into town and something incredible happens:
Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever did.” John 4:39
In response to her interaction with Jesus, she runs to town and tells everyone what happened. As a direct result of her testimony many people believe.
So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. John 4:40
There are many times in the Bible when Jesus does something miraculous and the testimony of the person invovled causes others to believe. However, in this case, the Samaritans take it a step further and do something that most others don’t. They ‘urge’ Jesus to stay with them, and he obliges them.
And because of his words many more became believers. John 4:41
At first, there were a number of people that believed in Jesus because of the woman’s testimony. Then after Jesus was invited to stay, the rest of the people had their own interactions with him. It was Jesus’s words that convinced many others to believe in him, not those of the woman.
They said to the the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.” John 4:42
Finally, after they have been with Jesus, the people return to the woman. I imagine they were greatful for her testimony, but at this point it is no longer her stories that matter. They have heard for themselves!
There are no shortages of stories from this adventure. I love telling them too. I trust God to bless them for his purposes, even if I haven’t completely come to terms with them all. Yet, a far more exciting invitation is that of the Samaritans. I hope my stories stir something in each and every person that would cause them to ‘urge’ Jesus to come and stay with them. It’s great hearing the stories from me, but far greater to experience them in his presence. How cool would it be if their response was “We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.”
Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever did.” So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. And because of his words many more became believers. They said to the the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.”
John 4:39-42
