Seen, Heard, Touched, and Told
Well now, goodness gracious ‘an sakes alive, you jes’ gotta be ‘a-hurryin’ up ‘a-pullin’ up one o’ them there sturdy chairs over here, Butterbean, and be ‘a-gittin’ settled in like a lil’ ol’ possum ‘a-nappin’ on a sunny tree stump. John 9:11 is done ‘a-comin’ ‘a-struttin’ in jes’ like a lil’ ol’ rooster ‘a-thinkin’ he done owns that there whole barnyard. We hear that there once blind feller say, “A Man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me, ‘Go to the pool of Siloam and wash.’ So I done went and washed, and I done received my sight.” That right there is the gospel as plain as cornbread. Jesus done speaks. We done obey. Life done changes. Even a lil’ ol’ goat with half a pea brain could be ‘a-followin’ that there story trail.
Now 1 John 1:1-3 done reminds us that them there ol’ apostles weren’t ‘a-passin’ along no fairy tales from their first cousin’s neighbor’s barber. No, siree. They done heard Jesus with their own ears. They done saw Him with their own eyes. They done touched Him with their own hands. They weren’t jes’ ‘a-guessin’. They was ‘a-testifyin’. Sergeant Joe Friday (from TV’s Dragnet series) would’ve nodded real slow and said, “All we want are the facts, ma’am, jes’ the facts.” An’ them there apostles had facts stacked up a whole lot higher than a July hay bale.
Then, there’s that there blind man in John 9 who done gave the simplest testimony this side o’ a salty ol’ cow lick. Folks kept ‘a-pokin’ at him like chicken hens ‘a-peckin’ at a lil’ ol’ junebug. “Who done healed you? How’d He do it? What done happened?” And that feller kept ‘a-sayin’, “All I be ‘a-knowin’ is I was blind and now I be ‘a-seein’.” That’s testimony gold. No fancy talk. No theological cartwheels. Just truth poured out like real sweet, iced tea in August.
Acts 22 and Acts 26 done showed Paul ‘a-tellin’ his story o’ his own salvation experience twice, steady as an ol’ mule ‘a-plowin’ a real straight row. And 1 Peter 3:15 done tells us that we oughta’ be ‘a-gittin’ ready to be ‘a-doin’ the very same thang’. Your story cone really matters, Butterbean. Be ‘a-writin’ it down. Be ‘a-prayin’ over it. Be ‘a-askin’ the Lord to be ‘a-sendin’ someone who’s ‘a-needin’ to hear it. You don’t never be ‘a-knowin’ whose heart might be ‘a-swingin’ open faster’n an ol’ barn door in a big ol’ windstorm.
Father, I be ‘a-thankin’ You for ‘a-givin’ each one of us a real good story worth ‘a-tellin’. Be ‘a-helpin’ us stay real bold, humble, and ready to so we can be real ready to be ‘a-sharin’ what You’ve done for us. Be ‘a-openin’ doors, be ‘a-openin’ hearts, and be ‘a-openin’ our mouths at the right time. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Now git yourself on out into this ol’ world, Butterbean, and don’t you be ‘a-forgettin’ that a good testimony is jes’ like a wise old barn owl ‘a-keepin’ watch all through the night. Your story don’t be ‘a-needin’ to be fancy. It’s jes’ that you’re ‘a-needin’ to be ‘a-showin’ up, ‘a-tellin’ the truth, and ‘a-doin’ what you was really made to be ‘a-doin’. May your story git to shinin’ a whole lot brighter than one o’ them there lil’ ol’ firefly revival conventions on a real dark, moonless summer night.
With joy,
Gwen
