When God wanted to offer proof of himself to the people of the ancient world, He called upon Israel, his chosen nation, to give witness of His existence. “People of Israel, you are my witnesses; I chose you to be my servant, so that you would know me and believe in me and understand that I am the only God. Besides me there is no other God; there never was and never will be.” (Is. 43:10). One of the responsibilities of the people of God, therefore, was to serve as mediators of the Lord, and as living proof of the undeniable existence of the Almighty.

This is as true today as it was then. The transfigured life of God’s people still offers the most basic and convincing proof of God. A changed soul is still the best testimony of God’s power to work within us. Love which is reflected in a Christian heart that finds it possible to accept, forgive, and love others unconditionally remains the best witness of the nature of God. Faith which cannot be shaken, even in the face of death, is still the best demonstration of the immutability of God’s promises to us.

As members of the church, we have been granted the great privilege of sharing in the life of God’s people. At the same time, we are expected to accept the responsibility of being witnesses, the demonstration and living proof so to speak, of God’s continuing presence in the world. It is this God-given task which makes us mediators of God’s grace in the lives of others. St. Peter eloquently expressed this truth when he wrote, “You are a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, chosen to proclaim the wonderful acts of God, who called you out of darkness into his own marvelous light.” (I Peter 2:9)

Books, lessons, creeds and sermons all share an important role in advancing God’s kingdom. Words, however, can never hope to equal the matchless eloquence with which faith-filled lives of people much like ourselves can bear witness to the upholding presence of God in the world today. Everything else is only hearsay.