A Witness . . .

At some point in our life, we have probably been involved in some sort of court case. I’m not talking about Judge Judy, Judge Joe Brown, or any of these other made for TV court shows. I’m talking about a real deal court case where important decisions will be made. Maybe you were the victim of a crime, maybe you’ve had the misfortune of being involved in a car accident (I’ve had a few… a LONG, LONG, LONG time ago), or maybe you’ve fulfilled your civic duty and served on a jury. No matter the circumstance, having a witness is always an important part of the outcome.

As I looked back over the Scripture from Session 1, I noticed something that I think we can learn from and apply in our faith family today. In Joshua 24, Joshua has gathered his “faith family” together (the Israelites) for a little family talk. In verse 15, Joshua makes a declaration, “…as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord…”  As we continue reading, we see that the Israelites took this as a challenge. They set aside their idols and committed to love God with all their hearts. But verse 22 is what really stood out to me. Joshua sees what is happening and he says, “You are your own witnesses that you have chosen to serve the Lord.”

WOW!!! What we just read was one of the first accounts of accountability within the faith family. I believe what Joshua was saying was, “Hey church, you guys just made this decision together as a faith family. Now, hold each other accountable and support each other!”

A witness plays a vital role in the final outcome of any court case. This is no different in our spiritual journey. Having a witness to hold you accountable can make all the difference in the final outcome! How much stronger would we be as individuals and as a faith family if we were able to be a witness and hold each other accountable for the commitments we make to God on this journey together?

“As iron sharpens iron, so people can improve each other.” (Proverbs 27:17 – NCV)

Trying to finish well,
Pastor David