Firsthand Witness
"Jesus replied, ‘Go back and report to John what you hear and see:
The blind receive sight, the lame walk,
those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised,
and the good news is preached to the poor."
Matthew 11:4
"Joey took my dollar, dad." My oldest son brought the complaint to me against his younger brother. I asked, "How do you know it was Joey? Did you see him take it?" "No," my son replied. "but who else would take it, dad?" I must confess that his simple accusation seemed more than plausible to me. Still, I asked, "What did he say when you confronted him?" "He said he didn't do it and that I must have lost it." "Well," I continued, "if you did not see Joey take it and he now denies it, you sure don't have very compelling proof for your accusation. If you or your sister had seen him take it or heard him admit that he took it then it would be another thing. As it is I suggest that you pursue another course in trying to retrieve that dollar."
Guesses and second-hand testimonies do not get us to the truth; neither do they get others to the truth. "My pastor says..." and "I heard about someone who..." will not be very impressive to most in your circle of influence. On the other hand, "I saw with my own eyes..." and "I heard with my very own ears..." will get attention. Give folks a firsthand testimony - of Jesus.