Are You a Living Testimony?

A group of believers was returning to their native home after attending a revival convention. They boarded a train and grabbed their seats in an unreserved compartment. They put their baggage in some of the vacant seats.

train at a railway station along the coastline

Some passengers who got onto the train asked the leader of the group to permit them to sit in the vacant seats. The leader, unwilling to share the open seats, gave a false response and said that more of the group’s fellow passengers would be joining them soon.

The leader of this group had a flair for personal evangelism and started sharing the gospel with the people who had asked for seats. They listened and were overwhelmed to know of the Savior’s love and sacrifice in redeeming lost mankind.

While the leader was still sharing the gospel and his personal testimony of how the Lord transformed his life, the train started moving. Now the passengers who were standing and listening to him asked the leader, “Where are the other people you said would be joining you?”

The leader was unable to answer their question and could not find any justifiable or convincing response. When the passengers discovered that the leader had lied to them, they shouted at him.

Though he had been successful at sharing the gospel, he was a failure in living a testimonial life of integrity and winning lost souls for the Lord.

A testimonial life should bear witness for the gospel in word and deed. Will unreached people be able to testify that we are Christians who walk the talk?

Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ. —1 Corinthians 11:1, NIV

Prayer: Lord, help us to live exemplary and testimonial lives that reflect your love. Help us to walk the talk when we share the gospel.


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ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Richard Paul Samuel works as a Partnership Audit Team Lead for Compassion India.

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2 Comments |Add a comment

  1. Francene September 25, 2012

    i suppose it shows that even the best of us have flaws. so many of us in ministry is still rough around the edges but we have to be careful that we do not defeat the very purpose that we live for.

  2. Mike Stephens September 21, 2012

    well at least they had the chance to hear the truth even though they didn’t get as good of seat 😉

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