Quick Take – Most of the time people think the hardest part of witnessing is actually talking to people about Christ.  Well, that might be your problem, but I have a bigger one.  I know that the testimony of my life shouts down anything I say with my mouth.  I hate that.  For all the love I have for the Gospel and the concern I have for the lost, I still fight this flesh to keep true to what I proclaim.  There are so many times that I want to fight and retaliate for all the garbage life dishes out.  We have to live what we profess if we are ever going to be witnesses.  It has to be real in our life before others will believe it as truth.  Forget telling them about Christ; show them He is real in you.

what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ.
1 John 1:3 (NASB)

And remember – Jesus wins,
Tim

     Digging Deeper – Many years ago my son traded cars at a weekend sale held at a special location.  He had a very expensive stereo system in his trade-in that did not go with the deal.  They told him to take the new truck and he could come back and get the stereo equipment out on Monday.  They assured him that it would be under lock and key and would be safe until then.
     On Monday, I went back up with him to take out the system.  When we got there, someone had gone through the truck and meticulously taken the stereo system out.  It had taken hours the way they did it because they had to take out and replace most of the interior.  When we asked the salesman, he said it was tough luck and they were not responsible even though he had given his word it would be safe.  I LOST it.
     I tore into him like a mad dog.  He had lied to us then would not take responsibility for his failure to safeguard the truck.  I knew how long my son had saved for that stereo system and we had spent a whole day installing it.  About three minutes into my explosion the salesman figured out I was the real deal and was going to pursue this matter.  At first he tried to intimidate me, which made me even madder and more aggressive.  I was in his face and about to go down his throat.
     At that point, he decided he had better change tactics because he saw I was headed for postal.  He backed down and decided to go the Dale Carnegie route on me.  He started trying to make small talk while my son wondered if I was going to have a seizure.  Then it happened, in an attempt to win me over or distract me, he asked me what I did for a living.  What was I going to say?  This did not seem like the most appropriate time to tell him that the man who was going for his jugular was a pastor.
     I hope you have never been in such an embarrassing situation as I was to have so disqualified yourself for you faith that you wanted to disappear.  I am a passionate man about a great many things. I must admit that some things still punch my buttons and I get really intense.  We have to fight all that leads us away from a witness for Christ.  Sometimes, my tongue is bloody because the urge to speak up is so great.  But at what cost?  I hate to let someone take advantage of me and there are appropriate ways to speak up for myself.   I have to hate someone perishing without Christ more than any loss I might suffer from dishonest and incompetent business people.  I must walk what I have seen and heard.  I must be a witness with my very life.
     Blessings, and thanks for digging deeper with me!