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Should We “Witness?”

© Richard Kent Matthews

In traditional Christianity one of the main tenets of the Faith is to follow the admonition of Jesus in the Great Commission (Matt. 28:19,20): believers must go into all nations, baptizing and teaching those things Jesus taught. This practice, known as "witnessing," is what prompts evangelists of every ilk to do their work. It keeps Christian radio and television on the air. It's the means by which believers draw others "into the Kingdom." This passage is not a suggestion; it is a command. And it has worked. The Christian religion is the largest religion in the world, comprising in all its more than 1300 denominations and sects more than a billion and a half people (although Islam is the fastest growing religion).

Better-known witnessing groups include the Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, and of course, evangelical groups such as the Pentecostals, Charismatics, and the like. Even Roman Catholics have their own brand of witnessing. They build eye-catching cathedrals.

So, is witnessing the way we New Thought believers should be getting our message out?

I learned a long time ago that true witnesses are not those who scream hellfire from the pulpit, or those who raise the most money in fundraising efforts; rather true witnesses are those quiet, unobtrusive folks who never seem to be in any kind of spotlight. Nor do they even want to be. They simply live their lives in service to Spirit and their fellow life forms. They walk their talk, never boasting or insulting or threatening. They do the "work of the Lord" as if it were just the natural thing to do. No fanfare necessary. That, in my humble opinion, is true witnessing.

Do we have anything to prove in New Thought? Not really. Each of us comes into relationship with Spirit in our own way. It isn't up to us to tell others what their "truth" must be. We can be shining examples of our own Truth, however, by living a life of integrity, of responsibility, of self-acceptance, of sharing, and of joy. In this way we become what we express. As Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "What you are speaks so loudly I can't hear what you're saying."

It's good to share ideas, to hear messages, to listen to good music, to meditate. We couldn't have church without it all. But the real thrust of being a witness is in what we are, how we live, and how we treat others, not in what we preach.