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Have you ever been given an idea that you initially thought was a little
off the wall, only to find out later it was really a very good idea? The
first time I heard about cardboard testimonies I thought, "How corny.
That’s an idea that will never work." But then, after viewing cardboard
testimonies on a couple of Internet sites, I began to think that maybe
there was something to the idea.
Cardboard testimonies work like this. People take a large piece of
cardboard and write on one side in big bold letters a few words
describing something about their life before they committed it to Jesus
Christ. On the other side they write how that has changed since they
have begun their journey with God. Then, in a church worship service as
the music plays, they walk unto the platform, one by one, and display
first the before Christ side, and then the after Christ side.
That’s all there is to it. No speaking. No explanations. Just cardboard
signs of where they were before Christ and where they are now. It sounds
so simple, but as I was to discover, it is so powerful.
So we tried cardboard testimonies on Easter Sunday. If you would like to
see what happened, you can check it out on You Tube by searching for "UVCC
cardboard testimonies". Or here’s the site address:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03G4Y3i-RZg
This is what some of the people wrote: "Losing my job – God is in
charge." "Worried about everything – Trusting God fully." "Left for dead
in Iraq – Alive in Christ!" "Abusive childhood led to low self-esteem
and eating disorder – Restored by my Father God’s unfailing love."
Here are some more: "Drugs had control of my life – Now God is in
control." "Raised in bitterness – Gave it all to God." "Very low
self-esteem, depressed – Confident in Christ, joyful."
The signs of young married couples were particularly moving. To
illustrate their lives before Christ, one couple held up signs saying,
"Together 12 years without God" and "Drinking and fighting a lot." To
describe where they are now, they reversed their signs to say, "Married
on February 14, 2009" and "Transformed by God’s love."
Another couple wrote, "Broken marriage, alone." On the reverse they had
"Rebuilt love through God." Another couple describe their life before
Christ as "Marriage destroyed by drugs and violence" and their new life
with Christ as "Restored by the grace of God."
One young lady wrote on one side, "Raped, angry, broken." On the other
side she had, "Healed, put back together and made whole in Christ."
Still another had "Childhood abuse, shame, fear, rejection" to describe
how her life was, but "Free in Christ, loved, accepted, blessed, helping
others" to describe how things are now.
People may ridicule Christianity and say that faith in God is just a
delusion. But while it may be easy to argue about scholastic faith, it’s
hard to argue against the change that faith in Jesus Christ makes in
those who truly believe and follow him.
Ephesians 3:20 says that God is "able to do immeasurably more than all
we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us."
When I was a child we used to sing a song that went like this, "It is no
secret what God can do. What he’s done for others he can do for you."
Seeing the miracles that God has done in others should give hope to us
all.
Paul Jetter, Upper Valley Community Church |
