Once there was a boy who had nothing to do every day but watch people pass by. He kept on watching people, and that entertained him.
One day, he observed those people who called themselves “Christians.” He saw how happy these people were when they knew that someone was like them — saved.
Out of boredom one day, he shouted, “I’m saved!” He proclaimed that he was a Christian too.
All the Christians gathered around him — singing songs, praising God, hearing his “testimony” of how he was saved.
It was such a thrill for him, joining the group and making them believe.
But then, when it got serious — when his little game became a commitment — he said he was lying. He just left and said he was not a Christian.
Time passed by and, once again, boredom hit. Somehow, he missed those good people. He wanted to feel that same way again. So, he did it again. He shouted, “I’m saved!” And, this time, he said he’d actually met the Savior who saved his soul. It was so easy to say. All the Christians wouldn’t shut up about it, so he knew what to say to make them believe.
Again, the Christians ran to him. Even the unbelievers were amazed by his story of change. His lie. It was a bigger hit than the first one — a great story of him finally being saved.
But that’s the thing about lies.
They’re prettier on the outside, but make it easier to rot from the inside.
Eventually, he got bored again when he heard things he didn’t like. In the end, he said he was not telling the truth.
Everyone was disappointed. Those who leaned on his story were devastated. The people who were inspired by this lie started to question many things. It became difficult for them to determine which was the truth and which was the lie.
Mature Christians understood. They continued to pray for him, but deep down, as a human, they knew he was hopeless.
Then, one glorious day, he met Him — the Savior Himself. His selfish heart was broken into pieces. He was renewed. He was filled with joy — real joy. This time he knew that, whatever commitment he encountered, it would never feel like a commitment. It would be a privilege to serve this King. This was real salvation. All he wanted in that moment was to shout about the goodness of the Savior.
He was saved.
Then He shouted. He proclaimed God’s goodness in his life. He wanted everyone to hear this. This was the Good News. Everyone should hear it. He shouted with all his might:
Jesus is King!
But, this time, no one believed him. Both believers and non-believers thought it was just another set of lies.
“His lie is a bit bad this time.”
“Maybe he ran out of good ones.”
“Don’t look at him; he just wants attention.”
It frustrated him that people were not listening. He had already changed. He was finally telling the truth. Why would they not believe him?
This is the consequence of everything we did in the past.
God looks at the heart; however, people can only see the outward appearance. Those people are the ones we want to rescue with the Word of God.
We can offer our hands to them while they are drowning, but it will be difficult for them to hold on to the same hands that persecuted them in the past — especially when they don’t know they are drowning.
They will think that they are better than you. They never cheated others. They never lied about being someone they were not. Therefore, they are better than you. They will be blinded by your own past sin.
Our words in the past all contribute to our broken testimony. We are the same people who promised those things and failed. We were the proud ones before becoming those who proclaim humility now. We were the ones who said we were good people before, but now we know Christ — not just His name, but Jesus Himself.
They say that time heals, but actually it does not. Consistency through time is real healing.
God is consistent through time. His goodness stays the same in every generation. He will heal this bad testimony. If we become consistent about this change, eventually the people around will believe our new stance.
Remember that lies never last. Truth, on the other hand, remains.
When we say these words, we nullify our credibility, but in a good way. How? We know what other people are thinking about us — that we are cheaters who only want attention.
Because of this, we are telling them that, in the words we are saying, we have a witness — a reliable Witness. We invite them to listen to Him, and not to us.
We invite them to look to a perfect God, not to the imperfect sinner they knew. This is how you show them that you are a renewed believer.
As Christians, we will face many kinds of persecution — people reminding us of our past is one such persecution. This may be one of the strongest hits we might take in our journey to God’s holiness, but it can also be a great reminder to us of how great His salvation is.
Remember: we were those sinners before, but now those versions of us are almost no more.
This is a way of looking back on how far we’ve come, and it is another reason to face the future filled with hope with a heart that is restored.
That way, without even noticing it — without even trying — we will be surprised by how many people will follow our steps — people who didn’t need to hear the shout from your mouth, but who do hear the loud whispers of your actions.
For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through His life! (Romans 5:10, NIV)