To testify or not to testify...

The question this week to be thinking about was witnessing to Christ, to testify, in the midst of digital cultures.

I really struggle with the notion of testimony in the very small and naive sense of its meaning. For me when I hear about someone's testimony I assume we are sitting in a cozy circle, or in the pews of a sanctuary and after a few people share their testimony an altar call will follow. I have not spent much time thinking (until this week) about a broader, richer, deeper way to think of testimony.

Testimony this week has taken on a new look for me. I loved the way Hoyt (Hoyt, Thomas, Jr., "Testimony" in Practicing our Faith by Dorothy C. Bass, ed. (San Francisco: John Wiley & Sons, 1997), 89-101) described testimony as being communal, truth telling and like a prayer of thanks. It reminded me of my families dinner prayers. When it is the kids turn to lead the prayer, it usually goes something like, "Dear God, thank you for the good day we had, thank you for the food on the table, thank you for dad working and mom teaching, be with those that are in need Amen. According to Hoyt this is a testimony. Simple, truth telling.

Testimony comes to us in way more than just words and our digital culture helps us share our stories a lot easier. I realize that there are people that use digital culture to do and say things that are not true and can be damaging. So what do we do then? Is it our job to call them out, tell them they are not telling the truth? Do we ignore them, unfriend them or do we tell the truth? At what point does this become judgment?

I think about the Biblical passage Matthew 6:1 "Beware of practising your piety before others in order to be seen by them; for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven." Why are we saying, posting, blogging? Are these posts and blogs a witness to Christ, a testimony of who we are as a Child of God? Do we post, say and blog in order to be seen? To blow our own trumpet?

For me the truest testimony I can give is just to do my best to be me. Throughout the day I will fall short. I will make mistakes. I will disappoint. I will miss the mark. Throughout the day, the community will help me, love me, guide me, turn me around, set me free and mostly remind me through their testimonies that God loves me and calls me by name. In this daily exchange of testimony, we reveal God to one another. God creates new life among us and our testimonies invite others to share their life too. The digital culture in which we reside makes this circle of witnesses a lot larger, a lot fuller and even deeper.

Thank You God for another day! Thank you God for this day at North Woods High School. Thank you God for the clothes that clothed me and the food that fed me. Thank you God for my family, their love and support. Thank you God for good friends in which we can share a meal together. Thank you God!