The Witness

I found this entry tucked away in my draft file, written a few months ago.  I had fully intended on posting it at the time and then hesitated - changing my mind - thinking that perhaps it might be a little too much musing if someone was just dropping in for some pretty pictures and a bit of a light read.  I had the choice whether to just delete it in order to clean out my file, or post it... I've decided to post.  So here it is, such as it is...

Today's Musings flow out of a conversation that I recently had with my friend Marnie, who works part-time at a transition house for women and their children leaving abusive relationships.  She shared with me the stats which indicate that children who witness abuse are more likely to become abusers themselves than those who actually experience the abuse.  This is profound to me, in that, there is something very powerful about 'the witness'.

There are basically two kinds of witnesses in the world - those who bear witness of the Light and those who bear witness of the darkness.  Paul's encounter with Jesus in Acts 26 resulted in his being appointed by Jesus to be a witness of the Light to others, that the eyes of those living in darkness would be opened that they might turn from darkness to the Light, receiving "forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those that have been sanctified (set apart) by faith in (Christ)".

To bear witness, or to testify, is to give voice to, or act out of, that which you have witnessed, observed, or had an encounter with.  

In John 1:7 we see John the Baptist coming as a witness of the Light, "to testify about The Light so all might believe...".  This Light, that John was a witness to, was Jesus, "the Light that shines in the darkness, and the darkness (does) not comprehend it."  Jesus said, "I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness."(John 12:46)  There is a purpose to the Light.

Proverbs 21:28 tells us that "A false witness will (ultimately) perish...".  A false witness is simply a witness that does not bear testimony of the Truth of the Light.  On the other hand, Proverbs 14:25 tells us that "A truthful witness saves lives."  And this is what Jesus is all about... saving lives. 

As people who presently occupy this planet, we are daily witnesses to an enormous bombardment of audiovisual stimulation.  TV and the internet are definitely major contributors in this, and have caused us to become a culture of voyeurs, who, while not really 'experiencing' the reality of what we are watching, have become occupational witnesses to shootings, rapes, psychotic episodes, vulgarities, abuse, terrorism and... 'reality TV'.

We are also subject to witnessing a wide array of behaviours, images and voices,  just by taking a trip to the local grocery store to run a few errands.  We are also witnesses to the beautiful and lovely as well.  We find this in nature, in others, in things.  Yet, how much of what we witness in a single day is representative of darkness and how much is representative of Light?  Is it always so easy to discern?   There are many who say that there are those 'grey' areas of life, where things are not that easily identified as being either Light or dark.

Revelation 3:14 and 1:5 tells us that Jesus is not only The Light, but He is also The True Witness and The Faithful Witness.  He also has a Voice, for He is The Word of God, so we can be assured that by listening to Him we can have a Faithful and True Witness of what is Light... and what is not.

And so here is where my musing took me - obviously, being a witness is a powerful thing, whether we are passive in our witness, or whether we give voice to our witness.  Whether that witness is of the Light or whether of the dark.  From my study in Scripture, I understand that Light overcomes darkness, so, as powerful as darkness is, Light will continue to be The Most Powerful in Overcoming, amen!  So,... as much as I may witness darkness in my daily living, I purposely choose to position myself in such a way as to be a witness to the Fullness of The Light... that The Light might then shine through me, that I might then become a witness, a testimony, a voice, of the Brilliant Light which Overcomes utter darkness. 

Light and darkness. True and false.

A Truthful Witness saves lives...

Yes, there is something very powerful about the testimony of... 'the witness'.