CHRISTIAN COWBOY COLLECTION
w/ Christa Conway
Be A Witness, Not A Judge
I happened to see those words on a church
sign while on vacation over the past month.
I really got to thinking about that simple
statement and how it is such great advice.
We are ALL capable of being a witness. Here
is dictionary.com’s definition of the noun
“witness:”
wit·ness [wit-nis]
1. an individual who, being present,
personally sees or perceives a thing; a
beholder, spectator, or eyewitness.
2. a person or thing that affords evidence.
3. a person who gives testimony, as in a
court of law.
4. a person who signs a document
attesting the genuineness of its execution.
5. testimony or evidence: to bear witness
to her suffering.
It seems to me from reading the definition(s)
above that we are all qualified, in some form
or another, to be a witness.
Some of the definitions apply a little more
appropriately than others when referring to a
“witness” for Christ. Definition #3 seems to
stick out a little more to me than the others
(although they all apply in their own ways.)
“A person who gives testimony” sounds
like someone who has enough authority
on a subject to be comfortable speaking or
answering questions related to the subject.
Are you a qualified witness for Christ? Of
course you are! If you are a Christian and
have a relationaship with Jesus, then you
absolutley have enough experience to be a
witness for Him.
If you were called to the stand in a court of law,
you could testify and answer questions about
your personal relationships and experiences....
and you can do the same when given the
chance in circumstances that allow for you to
share your Christian testimony with others.
We should all be more willing to be a witness
everyday. We shouldn’t have to be “put on the
stand” to share our testimonies about Jesus
and what He means to us.
Witnessing
scripture.
is
encouraged
throughout
Acts 22:15
You will be his witness to all the people of
what you have seen and heard.
On the other hand, the definition for the noun
“judge” reads very differently.
judge [juhj] noun
1. a public officer authorized to hear and
decide cases in a court of law; a magistrate
charged with the administration of
justice.
2. a person appointed to decide in any
competition, contest, or matter at issue;
authorized arbiter: the judges of a beauty
contest.
3. a person qualified to pass a critical
judgment: a good judge of horses.
4. an administrative head of Israel in the
period between the death of Joshua and
the accession to the throne by Saul.
To be a judge, their are qualifications or
“appointments” that are required before being
competant to hold the position of “judge.”
According to the scriptures, God is the only
one qualified to judge. We are specifically told
NOT to judge.
Matthew 7: 1-2
Do not judge, or you too will be judged.
For in the same way you judge others, you
will be judged, and with the same measure
you use, it will be measured to you.
So it seems to me that we are much more
qualified and even are instructed to be a
witness....and on the contrary, we are not
qualified and are specifically instructed NOT
to judge.
Seems pretty simple to me. Be a witness, not
a judge.
Happy Trails & God Bless!
Christa
One Last (& most important) thought…
Salvation is a gift and a choice......
Read past
issues of our
Christian
Cowboy
Collection and
the Christian
Barrel Racer’s
Newsletter at
the website
below!
Jesus died on the cross as the final sacrifice. When He was
resurrected on the 3rd day, he defeated Satan for us. All we
have to do is believe that He beat death and acknowledge
it with our words. If we believe that and accept Him as our
personal savior…we are promised eternal life with Him in
Heaven. You can’t earn your way into Heaven; you have to
believe your way there. So many people think they “aren’t
good enough” to get to Heaven… But… Salvation is a GIFT
from God and you don’t earn a gift. Gifts are something
someone gives to you and for the gift to be yours, you have
to accept it. All we have to do is accept that wonderful gift. I
know I have…won’t you?
But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many
died by the trespass of the one man, how much more
did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace
of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many.
Romans 5:15
For God so loved the world that He gave His one and
only Son that whosoever believes in Him shall not
perish but have eternal life. John 3:16
That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,”
and believe in your heart that God raised him from the
dead you will be saved. For it is with your heart that
you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth
that you confess and are saved. Romans 10: 9-10
racintoeternity.com
www.