The Most Powerful Witness

May 1, 2020 by Lindsay Gray

Utterly amazed, [those in the crowd] asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans?  Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? . . . we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” — Acts 2:7-8, 11 (NIV)

I grew up in a town where nearly everyone I knew was Christian. Our Christian faith was an undercurrent, a shared set of values that my friends and I rarely spoke about. When we did, I discovered that many of my friends were more insistent and vocal about their beliefs than I. As a child, I often wondered whether my faith was lacking because I wasn’t more outspoken about my belief in Christ.

As I have grown in my faith over the years — through personal practice, church membership, and academic study — I have come to realize that there is no single right way to share the good news of Christ. The story of Pentecost shows us how God relates to us and how we can relate to others. It reminds us that the Holy Spirit speaks to each one of us in a way that we can understand — in a way that is familiar. Likewise, God can work through each of us in a manner well suited to our unique talents, personalities, and capabilities — providing myriad opportunities for us to share our faith with others. Pentecost not only acknowledges but celebrates the many ways we can authentically share our faith. And when we tell others about where we have seen God at work in the world, that is the most powerful witness of all.

In this issue, people from around the globe write about the creative ways they have been talking about or living their faith.  From phone calls to intercessory prayer to giving a meal to a stranger to asking a question in a classroom, these writers are sharing with the world their own unique experience of God’s love.  I hope their stories will encourage you to do the same.


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The Upper Room magazine's mission is to provide a practical way to listen to scripture, connect with believers around the world, and spend time with God each day.

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