Iron and Shine the Front

John 21:24
This is the disciple which testifieth of these things, and wrote these things: and we know that his testimony is true.

Oh, what a testimony that our Savior Jesus has! The Son of God who humbled himself to become sin for us that we might have the forgiveness of sin. He who lived, died, rose and lives again! What if His testimony wasn't true? What hope would we have if we found out that the testimony of the only one who ever truly loved us enough to die for us was false or tainted? It would have a devastating effect on our whole world. It seems to me that a man's testimony must be pretty important. Our testimony as a Christian should testify of Jesus and not ourselves. It should bring glory and honor to the very one who saved us.

A few years ago I met a man who was a fantastic preacher. His preaching of the Gospel of Jesus and what Christ had done in his life was beyond amazing. I loved to hear him every opportunity I had. Once in a message I heard him say that he and his wife were arguing about his clothing and laziness. As she watched him get prepared for a meeting one time, she noticed that he only ironed the front of his shirt. She said, "Ain't you gonna iron the back of that shirt?" "No ma'am, people only see the front. I'll never take my jacket off." was his reply. Then she noticed that he only shined the front portion of his dress shoes. "You ain't gonna shine the whole shoe?" she asked. "No, what's the big deal?" he said. Then he told us this next phrase and I'll never forget it. "People will only see me coming at them and not walking away, so what is the sense in shinning the back? No one will notice... I only want to shine coming at them."

What if we treated our testimony this way? Half-hearted and lazy! We live only to impress those listening to us and not give our best unto the Holy Lamb of God? We want only a microphone to be heard and not a life that will be an example. Needless to say, this very well-known preacher and leader of seminary finally reaped what he had sown. I'm sad to say that because of his half-committed ironing and shinning some people researched his testimony because stories in his messages started crossing each other. He came forward and confessed that he dressed up his testimony in a time period so that it brought him more preaching engagements. Ironed and shined the front and thought no one would care, or that no one would notice. People did and now his ministry suffers from it. His testimony is tainted because it had things in it that weren't true but exaggerated and fabricated. Not only his testimony but now his preaching of the Gospel is listened to with questioning ears. (He is forgiven and can still be used by God, but now it is with difficulties)

What more could you add to your testimony of Jesus and the Gospel that could enhance its story? Isn't the fact that Jesus died for a sinner such as yourself sufficient? My testimony would be that Christ saved me from my lost and hell-bound condition! He took an old torn and battered shirt, cleaned it and ironed the whole thing. He took the old beat up version of dress shoes that I had played in the miry pits of sin with and washed them clean and gave them the best shine in the world! The whole shoe too! PEOPLE ARE WATCHING YOU, MAKE SURE YOUR TESTIMONY IS TRUE!