If you saw someone shoot and kill your neighbor, you could help the police with your eyewitness report, and you could testify at the trial of the murderer. Your testimony might even help to put a murder behind bars. Sadly, nothing you could do in that process would ever bring your neighbor back to life.

 What if your testimony could bring someone to life? Would you do it?

 Every follower of Christ has a testimony that can help someone find new life in Christ. Every one of us can be witnesses to what Christ has done for us, and when we do that, we share words and deeds that may be used by the Holy Spirit to transform someone’s heart. We don’t need a degree in theology, nor do we need to be ordained to give this testimony. In fact, we don’t even need to have memorized somebody else’s testimony. We simply need to be honest and open about our relationship with Christ.

 I think we make it too hard, because we really do think we don’t know enough. I also think we fear the repercussion if someone rejects the message. These are two different problems, and we need to get over them.

 First, we do know enough. One of the easiest ways to be open about our relationship with Christ is to invite someone to church. To do that clearly testifies that Christ is part of our lives, and to invite someone to go with us ought to be as normal as to invite them to go with us to a football game or an art exhibition. We invite our friends to join us in activities we enjoy. There are many other ways to share God’s love, too. If we let God lead us, it can be as natural as talking about new babies and family reunions.

 Second, there could be repercussions, but you might be surprised how infrequently people get angry about it. I have invited people who didn’t go to church with me. I have said, “God loves you,” to people who replied that they don’t believe in God. I have never had anyone attack me, although one man did say “I guess being Lutheran is the next best thing to being a Christian.” I have never had anyone shout at me so far.

 Maybe the biggest hurdle for some people is the idea that there is a special “authorized” way to testify to our faith. There isn’t. If you doubt me, read how Jesus talked to people. He started where they were. For the woman at the well, he simply asked for a drink of water. For Zaccheus, he invited himself to dinner. When a lawyer tried to entrap him in a semantic argument, he told a story. I think our best testimony is offered when we simply speak of our faith as naturally as we speak of our children or our work. We don’t need to stress over it; we simply need to let it out.

 It is important to think about why we don’t testify more often, because it is even more important to remember why we do testify. We testify, because faithful testimony for Christ pushes back evil. We testify, because the only hope for a world full of people with broken hearts is the grace, forgiveness and transforming power of the Holy Spirit. We may not see the fruit of our testimony in many people’s lives, but we leave that work to the Holy Spirit.

 The next time you speak with someone and feel a nudge that says, “This person needs the Lord,” don’t ignore that nudge. Pay attention. Watch for the right moment to say, “Would you like to come to church with me this Sunday?” or simply say, “God loves you.” Follow the Holy Spirit’s leadership. Our world needs a lot more faith speech spread around. Jesus said that we are to be the light of the world. Some of us appear to be saving our lights for a darker night. It’s dark enough already. Let your light shine.

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