“For Ourselves”

“I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear,
    but now my eye sees you.” Job 42:5

“So the woman left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people, ‘Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?’ They went out of the town and were coming to him.

“Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, ‘He told me all that I ever did.’  So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them, and he stayed there two days. And many more believed because of his word. They said to the woman, ‘It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world.'” John 4:28-30,39-42

“If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved…  For ‘everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’

“How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!’” Romans 10:9-10,13-15

Scripture as a whole promotes personal responsibility and invites people not only to proclaim testimony of the Lord, but to listen, look, learn, and respond. When we have known the Savior we cannot help but tell, and experiences relayed beg engagement by the observer and reader. Come and hear! Come and see! When we are exposed to Him we will be changed. Interacting with truth ourselves always, always has effect. (John 1:38-39)

Information today is peddled in droves and drones. Wherever we turn the eye or ear we can take in what someone else has curated for our necessary enlightenment, instruction, or pleasure. There is no scarcity of expertise or opinion to be had and espoused. Our challenge is to discern what we take in, then respond accordingly. Merely accepting what another has presented skirts our responsibility to investigate and interact with God personally. The Lord is most clearly revealed when we seek Him ourselves.

What effort do we make to listen to and understand who Jesus is, to meet with Him and divine His word alone? Are we more apt to taste a snippet or devotional soundbite from someone else, or dig in and study for ourselves? How willingly do we receive and respond to what we learn? Can we honestly say we know Jesus Christ for ourselves? (Matthew 16:13-16)

If so, what are we doing to tell about Him so others see, and know, and believe for themselves? How eagerly and readily do we invite those among whom we work and live to meet Him? What about our lifestyle, perspectives, manner of handling hardship and interruptions, would make them want to?

Lord, help me know, love, and trust You for myself, and be faithful to speak boldly and winsomely so others will too.