Finding something of great value does two things; first it relieves the pressure we have placed upon ourselves to find the lost item and second we experience a great joy because of the release of that pressure.  When the woman found her lost coin she was so overjoyed that she could not contain herself – She had to tell someone.  Picture this woman with all her belongings still setting out in the front yard as she came running out of her house yelling and screaming down the street “I found it, I found it!”

            Now we may all express our emotions differently.  Some of us are outspoken and don’t really care who hears us or what they might think about us while others are very reserved and are cautious of what they say and how they act.  But the feeling of relief upon finding our lost item is the same – we are all happy and excited even if we don’t express it outwardly.  That is also how we feel when we have really found Christ.  When we realize what He has done and to what extent He went to purchase our salvation and then arose from the dead proclaiming victory over death for us all how can we not want to share that with someone?

            This is exactly what happens when we find Christ.  Whether we are outspoken and never meet a stranger or we are quiet and reserved we still feel a need inside to share what has happened to us.  We must tell somebody.  That is how the Good News of Jesus Christ is spread – by ordinary Christian believers testifying to what has happened in our life.  Our witness is extremely important.  Of course preachers are sharing the Good News.  And shouldn’t they do so?  After all isn’t that what they get paid to do?  Of course they should share but not because it is their job but because they have come to know Christ in the same way we have.  It isn’t their years of training in a Bible College and/or Seminary that qualifies them to witness of Christ; it is the fact that they need to share their testimony just as any of us do.  We are all called to carry the Good News of the Gospel. 

            We might say that we don’t know how to witness for Christ.  Maybe we weren’t brought up in Church and Sunday School and we don’t know the scriptures or where they are found.  But we do know what God has done for us and that is what we share – What God has done for us.  When we do then we are a witness for Christ.  When called upon to testify in a court of law what you are called to do is to tell what you know and experienced as related to the trial.  It is no different with our witness for Christ.  He only calls us to tell about what we do know and what He did for us.  The rest is up to the Holy Spirit.  We cannot save anyone.  All we can do is witness.  If someone comes to Christ it is because they have believed our witness and responded to the drawing of the Holy Spirit.

            Those who are reading this that are from the United States of America are in an extremely favorable situation.  There are places in the world right now where people are being imprisoned, beaten, tortured and even killed just because they have come to know Jesus Christ and want to tell someone else about Him.  Here in the States we may get ridiculed and shunned for the sake of the Gospel but we are not paying with our lives.  We aren’t going to prison because we told someone about Jesus.  That day may come at some point but right now we have the freedom to speak our testimony for Him.  God has even given us a white ready for harvest mission field here in our own country.  There are more internationals living here right now than ever before.  God has sent the mission field to us.  All we need to do is to recognize this and go for it.   Will you share your story?

            Penn Gillette of the famed comic duo Penn and Teller is a confirmed atheist.  But here is in essence what he had to say about the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the belief in Heaven and Hell.  Basically he said that if you truly believe then you must attempt to make converts.  If you really believe in a Hell then how much you must hate someone to not tell them and so condemn them to that place.

            The parable of the lost coin ends with these words of Jesus:  “There is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”  (Luke 15:10).  Just think of it; each individual who comes to God in repentance inspires a shout of joy from the angelic host in Heaven.  Each person is important.  Each person does matter.  Which ones will you tell?

Jerry D. Ousley is the author of ?Soul Challenge?, ?Soul Journey?, ?Ordeal?, ?The Spirit Bread Daily Devotional and his first novel ?The Shoe Tree.?  Visit our website at spiritbread.com to download these and more completely free of charge.