Bearing witness to one’s life with Jesus

One of the steps we take during a ‘Word of God’ meeting is to share our testimonies of how we have lived out the Word. Why tell others about the good deeds we do? Didn’t Jesus say, ‘Let not your left hand know what your right hand is doing’ (Matthew 6:1–4)? If I share my testimony, will my Father in heaven still regard it?

Jesus was speaking here of people who would boast about their deeds, their almsgiving, their fasting or even the way they pray. If I tell others about my acts of kindness in order to boast about them, I deserve this criticism from Jesus. But the testimonies we share are not of this kind, because we are asked to do so. Did not the superiors of Saint Thérèse of Lisieux ask her to write her life story? And we know how much these autobiographical manuscripts have helped, and continue to help, thousands of people today. Jesus even said: ‘What I tell you in private, proclaim in public; and what you hear whispered in your ear, proclaim from the rooftops.’ Jesus gave us many testimonies of his relationship with his Father. ‘The Father and I are one.’ ‘I do what pleases my Father.’ ‘No one knows the Father except the Son,’ and so on.

In the Gospel of John, Jesus says that we are his friends because he has revealed to us everything the Father has told him. In this way, he teaches us to share both material and spiritual riches. What we receive from God does not belong to us alone. We are stewards of his grace. Consequently, we must share all our spiritual riches. We must also benefit from the gifts of our brothers and sisters. Since we form the body of Christ, the sharing of spiritual riches must first take place ‘among those who belong to the same spiritual family’ (Gal 6:10): that is to say, those in the community to which we belong.

The spiritual lives of many saints are marked by their personal testimonies. In the Acts of the Apostles, Saint Paul recounts his conversion on the road to Damascus on several occasions. Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus often recounts her small acts of love, her struggles, her successes and even her prayers. These few examples show us that sharing our relationship with God and our testimonies is not a bad thing. On the contrary, when I share my testimony, it is an act of thanksgiving to God. For I can do nothing good without his help, and if I am then able to pray, to love or to help others love him, it is thanks to him. ‘I will declare in the great assembly the good you have done for me,’ says the Psalmist; and the greatest good I can do is to love God and to help others love Him. Sharing one’s testimonies is a sign of humility, for if I am not humble, I cannot share my struggles and weaknesses, nor can I share my small efforts, which people might consider insignificant and trivial—especially as we encourage living out the Word in the little things, just as little Thérèse of Lisieux did. But we know that whoever is faithful in small matters will also be faithful in greater ones.

When I do not share my testimonies, I am like a spiritual egoist who keeps God’s wonders to himself whilst still benefiting from the spiritual riches of others. In this way, my faith becomes cancerous. But when I share my testimonies, I share my faith and, as Pope John Paul II said, ‘faith grows when it is shared’, even if I do not realise it. When a child grows, they do not often feel themselves getting taller.

Sharing my testimonies encourages those who listen to me or read my words, and so many of them, too, make small or great efforts to love Jesus. Let us recall the testimony of that young girl who said: ‘I was also moved by the testimonies about going to church on Sundays’. When I share my testimony, I am living out the word of God, which calls us to evangelise. Many often feel unable to carry out the sort of evangelism that involves going from house to house or handing out leaflets on the street. Sharing one’s testimony is a form of evangelism that is just as effective as any other. In our Movement, and in our training, ‘the testimony of our lives is the first lesson’ that members impart. I myself never cease to share my spiritual life—past and present—with the aim of helping my brothers and sisters in Christ.

A group that shares many testimonies will be dynamic. It will grow because there will be much love. To bear witness is to share. And to share is to love. Where there is love, there is God, for God is love. I would like once again to encourage all members of the group to share their testimonies, whether they are small or great. Don’t wait until you’ve done something spectacular before sharing it. Even if you’re the only one sharing each time, don’t be discouraged. To help others in their spiritual life, we must never wait for them; rather, we must press on, for the more I grow, the more I can help. I would like to encourage you to share even outside the ‘Word of God’ meeting. Jesus told us: ‘You will be my witnesses’ (Acts 1:8). So let us share our joy of living with the risen Christ.

Henri Bayemi