November 1 – Witness in the Everyday
What we are asked to do at present is not so much to speak of Christ as to let him live in us so that people may find him by feeling how he lives in us. Thomas Merton
Gregg’s Reflection
Years ago, Genie and I were driving back from Nederland after visiting our grandkids. On the roadside, we noticed a group of teenagers without coats on a cold winter day. They had gotten their car stuck in the snow, far off the road, with no cell service.
I couldn’t get to their car myself, so I called my plow guy, Dan. He was hesitant but agreed to meet me. Together, we helped free their car. The kids were so grateful, and Dan pointed them to me as the one who had arranged it. I realized I had a choice — to accept their thanks or to point beyond myself. So I simply said, “Just be glad there are still a few Christians in these mountains.”
That moment reminded me: every act of kindness can either bring glory to us or point to Christ. Witness in the everyday doesn’t always look like preaching a sermon. Sometimes it is a ride given, a listening ear, or a hand extended in practical love — all of which whisper, “Jesus is here.”
Scripture
Whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Colossians 3:17
Ancient Quotes
It is not only by teaching, exhortation, and rebuke that we show ourselves to be shepherds, but also by our life. Nothing is more frigid than a teacher who is not a witness.
John Chrysostom, Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew
Let your life be such that it proclaims what your tongue speaks.
Augustine, Sermons
Modern Quotes
What we are asked to do at present is not so much to speak of Christ as to let him live in us so that people may find him by feeling how he lives in us.
Thomas Merton, Christ in Evolution, p. 145
We draw people to Christ not by loudly discrediting what they believe, but by showing them a light so lovely that they want with all their hearts to know the source of it.
Madeleine L’Engle, Walking on Water: Reflections on Faith and Art, p. 33
Journaling Prompts
- Where have I experienced Christ’s presence in the ordinary kindness of another person?
- In my everyday life, when have I had the chance to point someone not to myself but to Jesus?
- Do I see small acts of service as witness? Why or why not?
- How might I become more attentive to the Spirit’s nudges in ordinary moments today?
Go deeper into this week’s theme:
Read the full Week 44 Reflection: Teaching/Proclaiming/Witnessing