Christian Witness-Bearing

“There was a man sent from God; the same came for witness, to bear witness of the Light.” — Joun i. 6, 7.

MAN sent from God to bear witness —

that was surely a vast machinery for a very trivial end! We could understand a man sent from God to give a revelation. We could understand a man sent from God to make a discovery. We could understand a man sent from God to be a redeemer. But to bear witness to a belief — is not that an easy thing, a thing which any man could do! No; I think it is just the most difficult thing in the world — especially if the belief happens to be unfashionable. If you know a man to be misrepresented by his enemy and if that enemy should be one whom you wish to conciliate, it is very difficult for you to avoid keeping silence; you find it safer not “to

bear witness.” The sin of society is often a78 said to be evil-speaking. I do not think so. I think it is failure to speak good. You sit beside one at dinner who descants upon the fault of another. You know that to believe in the fault of that other is a pleasure to him, for he does not like the man. You are quite aware all the time that the allegation is exaggerated. But you would be sorry to lose the opportunity of winning the favour of your companion. He is a man of influence; he can help you; he is worth cultivating. Your resort is therefore to silence. You do not echo his testimony; but you abstain from contradicting it; you mutter something like, “Oh, if that is the case it is very bad!” It is far easier to believe in a thing than to bear witness to a thing. When I was a very young man a lady once said to me with great earnestness, “If you ever find any truth in spiritualism, be sure you do not tell it; it will hurt your ministry with influential people.” That advice was typical both of modern and ancient society. Christianity was as unpopular in the first century as spiritualism is in the twentieth. Every heathen mother cried to her converted son, “Don’t tell!” His chances of promotion required that he should bow in the temple of Rimmon even while he worshipped Christ in the shrine of his heart.

Witness-bearing was so superhuman a thing that God had to send a man from Himself to do it — had to pour into a human soul a flood of special inspiration that it might witness for the good.

Lord, wherever I see a light in my brother, help me to bear witness to that light! When I hear the world enumerate his dark spots, give me grace to say, “Look at that one white beam”! It will often be my interest to keep silence. My brother may be unpopular with the world — may be even at variance with myself. All the forces within me may conspire for detraction. Truculence may say, “Keep the popular side.” Jealousy may say, “You need not eulogise a rival.” Sophistry may say, “It is all true about the blame; there is no lie — only the suppression of something.” And a deceitful heart may say, “You have no part in it — you are only wearing a veil, only keeping silence.” Save me from these seductions, O my God! Help me to say of my brother, my erring brother, my censured brother: “I have seen his star. Night is there, cold is there, ground for solemn thought is there; but I have seen his star. You can point to real shadows, you can tell of true blemishes; but I have seen his star. It is a scene that makes sad, it is a wilderness that makes weary; but I have seen his star”! Help me to “bear witness” to his star! Let me tell of the light that is looming; let me speak of the red that is rising; let me point to the dawn that is deepening! When men see only his mist, let me sing of his morning! Send me with a leaf from his flood; send me with a dove from his waters! Give me the charity to champion, the bravery to befriend, the pity to protect, the sincerity to shield, the tenderness to be true, the lovingness to be loyal, the courage to be candid, the magnanimity to be merciful, the rectitude to reveal a brother’s rainbow! Then shall I know assuredly that I am witness sent from Thee.