Even in 'lifestyle witness,' we are always the aggressor

Pastor J.D.:

I know that seems a particularly violent title, but here's what I mean. I hear quite frequently that postmodern people today won't respond to a verbal witness the way people would 30 years ago. Now, it is said, we must witness with our lives and "be ready to give an answer for the hope that is within us." (1 Peter).

I think that is a great observation, except it overlooks that Jesus' command to us was to GO and be His witness. We were never to wait for unbelievers to come to us to "ask" questions. We were to go to them and proclaim a message that answers a question they may not have known to ask.

What of Peter's admonition to "be ready to give an answer?" He means we are to live in such a way that our lives BEG a question from people that are watching, not that we're just ready to "talk about our faith when people are curious." Our lives were to be so characterized by RADICAL generosity, and they were to display such joy in the midst of suffering, that people were simply befuddled and had to ask us what was wrong with us.

Many Christians give faithfully to their church, but how many of us give in such a radical way that people have to come ask us what is wrong with us?

Christians often know the right answers to give in suffering, but how many demonstrate such RADICAL joy in the midst of pain people have to ask us if we're crazy?

This was the case with Paul and Silas in Acts 16. It was when the Philippian jailor saw their interminable joy after being beaten, and their wild generosity (in that they would rather stay and witness to him than take their freedom), that he asked the question, trembling, "What must I do to be saved?" We rarely get questions of that nature, I think, because we don't live with the inexplicable hope with which Paul and Silas lived.

This is what I mean when I say that even in a lifestyle witness we should be the aggressor... we should be seeking to preach the message by the radical way in which we live.