By: Aga Fatrick Sta. Ana
This morning, I was finishing the affidavit of our witness for a case that we’ve been working out. His statements would be valuable to complete our defense and to win the case, hopefully.

While working on getting the words of our witness correct, I was reminded of a verse where Jesus actually compelled every Christian to be his witnesses. The verse is found in Acts 1:8 where Jesus said, “You shall be my witnesses in Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

When I was a little younger with no legal experiences, this verse actually did not mean so much to me. Then, it was nothing but a reminder to share the love of God to everyone. Today, being a paralegal, the verse became more powerful.

In a courtroom, at least 6 people are very important, namely: the judge who decides the fate of all the people involved; the defense lawyer whose job is to defend the accused, no matter what; the prosecutor who indicts the accused; the accused and the defendant, of course; and the witnesses. The sole job of the witnesses is to tell the story that they have seen – nothing more, nothing less.

The Bible is clear that we are called to be witnesses. Our job is to tell people what we have seen. We are not called to judge, to defend, or to prosecute. We are called to testify. But what exactly is the story that we are to be witnesses to?

The story happened two thousand years ago. With nails on his hands and feet and thorns on his head, He showed us what love truly means. It was not a story of a simple carpenter. It was a story of the Starmaker who died for the very people who hurt Him, cursed Him, and killed Him. And it was not just His story. It also became our story.

When Jesus died, our life began. He stripped off his royal clothes to bring us back to royalty. He bore our sins and made us worthy. He chose to die so we could live. He made friends with thieves, prostitutes, and lepers so that we could be friends with God. I don’t know about you but for me, this is a story worth telling over and over again.

“We’ve a story to tell to the nations that shall turn their hearts to the right. A story of truth and mercy, a story of peace and light.” (“We’ve A Story To Tell” by H. Ernest Nichol, 1862-1928).

Discussion Question: What is your personal story that helps you be God’s witness to the world?