Cardboard Testimonies

It was a subtle parade of high school and junior high kids carrying large cardboard signs....And on these signs were written in their own handwriting in large letters with black marker...on one side a way they used to be...or a way they used to feel...and the reverse side telling how God had altered that. There was one soloist singing a soft and yielding background piece while the youth carried each of their signs individually slowly and deliberately and solemnly .....stopping at mid stage for the congregation to read ...first side showing their weakness....and on the other side God's strength It was youth Sunday and these cardboard signs were testimonies.....of what God has done in each of their lives. Truly it was one of the most moving testimonies I have ever seen. And not one word was SPOKEN!!!!!!!

We always have audio back up for Sunday ....but on this Sunday I could have watched the video backup over and over again. Those kids everyone of them....had something heartfelt to share with those of us who were blessed to be in Sunday's audience. There was a simply written expression on cardboard about the weaknesses that each of us endure and on the other side something specific about the greatness of Jesus' provisions for us. I wish I could site all examples....but here are a couple....one side said loneliness the other side....God has shown me that he is always with me ...another was Hatred...the other side...learning to live in love....one was Pride....the other side...humbled by what Jesus has done for me...and it went on and on...These were honest and vulnerable responses from our youth but every single one of those emotions or characteristics were ones that we still feel today as adults...and could so relate to.

It was a poignant and individual testimony presented by our youth....a sermon preached without saying a word...that effected deeply the hearts of I suspect every single one of us who witnessed it. But as I pondered on it the remaining part of the day...it occurred to me that it was not only the words....the vulnerability, and the faces that presented these thoughts but it was also the depth of the display of honesty....and for each side of our weakness or discontent there was another side of Christ's victory and provision.

If you had to make a cardboard sign and put on it something that Christ has helped you to overcome...what would it say on your side and then what would the reverse side say? There is always a reverse side....we just have to "turn over" the sign and expect and trust in God's provisions. I was with a friend yesterday who had loosely bound rubber bands on each of her hands....it looked like she was in the middle of a project and before I even asked she gave me an explanation...it was a project but a self generated one. One one hand she had bands just as a reminder that all day things will come up and distractions will happen and can do's have a tendency to be smothered by can't do's. Then she catches herself and remembers that this Can be done by God who strengthens her...and takes the rubber band off of the left hand and places it on the right hand as a reminder that God is able. It paralleled with the two sides of the cardboard....as long as Christ is with us we are can doers' but only through His strength...and his transformation. God is in the business of changing us....of altering our perspective, of balancing out our emotions and giving us strength to overcome obstacles that hold us at bay in the midst of our human weakness.

We just have to be willing to "turn over" our lives to Him.....and look to the other side of our human frailty. As long as we persist to see only one side...of our cardboard existence....we are missing out on the possibilities and opportunities and provision of God's side. Christ laid down his life for us ...so that we could have the "other side" of the sign. So that we could be victors though Him...in everything even over death...that is as big as a turn over gets...

Galatians 2:20
I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

I in no way have done justice to what I witnessed yesterday.....I could not for it was truly one of those events that you had to witness yourself to be so moved as I....but I hope that I have given you enough reason to think about what it is that you are struggling with and a hope and reassurance that there is nothing too big for our God. It was the simplicity of a cardboard sign, written in black marker, presented by the youth of our church, of our weaknesses overcome by Christ's goodness....that got to me. We so often times try to fussy up our approach to Christ's message when in fact the message can be presented without even saying one word....but just by living and serving to the glory of Christ....It is through our inward transformation that people will see in us an outward result...For when we have allowed Christ to "turn us over" to living for Him and not for ourselves.....everything changes.

Dear Lord....may our lives represent a cardboard testimony....one side overcome by another... of how we have allowed you to transform us.....and have victory over the struggles that are before us daily.Thank you Lord! Amen


Praise God wherever you are and whatever situation He has allowed you to be in . . . His glory will shine through!