Sweet Potato Testimonies

 A good many years ago in a Sunday morning worship service given over in part for some "testimonies" to be shared, a 30 something man stood up to share his. For the uninformed, testimonies are meant to be times when we share something of note that the Lord has done in our life. I'm still dumbfounded that the man thought what he shared was "noteworthy."

It seems that he'd been in a restaurant the night before, a buffet type one that offered amongst other specialties, sweet potatoes stuffed with brown sugar. When he made his order, he was told they were out of sweet potatoes. He was disappointed, but a few moments later the server returned saying that there was one potato left and would he like it. The man gave glory to God that He had provided him with his sweet potato....AND his brown sugar! I was stunned then and remain so now. You may be as well, but wait, how much of what we give Him thanks and glory for has little more life changing impact than a sweet potato stuffed with brown sugar?

When Mary saw the risen Christ, she ran to the disciples and proclaimed, "I have seen the Lord! He is risen!" The two travelers on the Emmaus Road did the same. They could not keep quiet about who and what they'd seen and experienced. The old Jesus movement song had the lyric, "I've got to tell someone!" The wonder of what they'd seen could not be held in. They had to proclaim it. Someone said that we say so little about Him because we've seen and experienced so little of Him. This leaves us with "sweet potato testimonies," and sweet potato testimonies impact no one for Christ. 

The Apostle Paul wrote that we're to "always be ready to give reason for the hope we have in Him." If you were asked to give your reasons, what would you say? If you were to share the wonders He's wrought in your life, what would they be? How much of what you shared would be about your being able to buy something you didn't really need, or how He made your life so much more comfortable and easy. How much of the reason for your hope ends up being nothing more than sweet potatoes and brown sugar?

Jesus said in Matthew 10:7-8, "Go and announce to them that the Kingdom of heaven is near. Heal the sick, raise the dead, cure those with leprosy, and cast out demons. Give as freely as you receive." Jesus said that He was always about the Father's business. This is the Father's business. This is to be our business. The witness of our lives and of our church is that we are living out Matthew 10:7-8.....but we're found instead at our worldly buffets, glorying in our sweet potatoes and brown sugar. And we wonder why an unbelieving world doesn't want to join us there.

The world is literally dying to hear the reason for our hope. Have we anything to say to them? Have we a testimony that makes Jesus real to them? He is our Savior God with all the wonder, splendor, and glory that brings. He is not the Caterer of our buffet. The Kingdom is near, nearer than we think. Can anybody hear or see that through our church and through our lives? Through mine, and through yours?

Blessings,
Pastor O