Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Matthew 5:13-16

Can you please tell me about your religion? I’ve been observing you and your family and something is different about you.”

I almost dropped the phone. I’m not usually speechless, but I sure was then. We were far from the perfect believing family. I had flashbacks in my mind of times I had yelled at the kids or had stormed into the house angrily or had snapped at my husband. What exactly could she have observed that would merit the phone call? I asked the Lord for forgiveness and wisdom.

I experienced the Holy Spirit’s enablement. This would not be the normal phone call. “Sue” lived right across from me. This answer could not be my words, but God’s. I remember little about the phone call but much about the Lord’s grace and enablement. I told her that it was not about my “religion” but about my relationship with Jesus Christ. As a member of a good-works religious church, this was quite foreign to her. (“What? There is nothing I can DO to go to Heaven?”) How awful that was for
her! “Sue” was quite the do-gooder and was really great at it too.

She was quiet on the phone. I imagine the emptiness of trying to earn God’s approval had taken its toll. I told her not to trust me but to trust God and see what He had to say. I directed her to several Scripture passages: Romans 3:10-12, Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 6:23-24. I explained to her that when a person accepts the gift of salvation, the good works that she does now have another purpose—to bring glory to God!

With the Holy Spirit’s help, she accepted my invitation to study the Bible together. We went through the book of I John. Boy, did that open up a lot of questions and conversation! I really enjoyed the study too.

As the Lord taught me so many things I was forced to look at His Word in a different light. The day came when she accepted the Lord’s gift of salvation. Talk about exciting! Sue truly became a witness to her family. Although it was hard for her to attend church with me because her husband and adult children attended another church, she became a
student of the Word. I truly grew nearer to God through the experience!

Shortly after Sue received Christ, the Lord moved us away. I have lost touch with her, and I do not know what has happened. I pray for her growth and the salvation of her family. I also pray that the Lord will continue to shine through me in whatever situation I find myself.

Lord, please help me to realize that I am always a testimony of You and Your grace! Please help me to see and be burdened for the unbelievers that You bring across my path. I want to speak Your words in Your timing. Please keep me from living this Christian life in my own power, because I can only do it through Your power. I ask all this so that someday I may hear from You, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.”
(Matthew 25:23)

Written by an Anonymous writer. This article was published in the Spring 2014 edition of The Beautiful Spirit magazine.
To contact us, leave us a comment, email comments@thebeautifulspirit.org, or message us on Facebook.