Testimony or Example?

Every action has a consequence. The choices we make each day put in motion a chain of events that have a direct affect on our lives and the lives of others. When we listen to the guidance of the Holy Spirit, that choice can lead to a powerful testimony. But when we decide to do things our own way…we can become a terrible example.

Imagine a child who is confronted by a parent for eating cookies before dinner. The child can choose to tell the truth, “Mommy they smelled so good, I took one!” or the child can choose to lie, “I didn’t eat any cookies!” The first choice might result in a light scolding and a small lecture about self-control—and maybe even leave the parent with a funny anecdote about how cute the child was, holding up a chocolate-covered finger with the confession of one stolen cookie. But the second choice—the lie—might lead to more dire consequences, including punishment and restriction from eating any more cookies from the batch. The parent may feel the need to make an example out of the situation to help the child make the right decision in the future.

The Bible gives many accounts of folks who are testimonies (those who encourage us) and others who are examples (those who warn us about how to live). Some exist side-by-side, and give us great contrast, such as Able, who loved the Lord and chose to make a good sacrifice to Him, and Cain, who simply went through the motions and had his offering rejected by God. Some were at odds with one another, such as David, who chose to trust in God throughout his life, and Saul, who (although called by God), often decided to do things according to his own judgment and lived miserably.

In the ministry of Jesus, we clearly see the difference between a testimony and an example in those who chose to follow Him. No greater invitation was there than when Jesus Himself said, “Follow Me.” We applaud the disciples who immediately chose to walk away from their lives as they knew them and decided to follow Christ (Matthew 4:18-22). Yet we are warned by the example of the rich young ruler who decided to hold on to his earthly possessions when Jesus invited him to discipleship (Luke 18:18-23).

Let’s make Spirit-led choices to become testimonies—not examples.