I love a good story, even when I think I don’t have one

I’ve never thought I had a particularly compelling testimony. When you accept Jesus as your Savior and acknowledge Him as the Son of God when you are a wee one of four – well, frankly there just wasn’t a whole lot of depravity into which I could have sunk.

Mischief? Yes. Naughtiness? Sure. Disobedience? You bet. All of which I needed Jesus’ sacrifice for. But depravity? Not so much. I wasn’t an alcoholic or a drug dealer or a gang member. I didn’t turn tricks or have teen sex and a baby out of wedlock. I likely sassed my mom, and I KNOW I pestered my older siblings after being told not to. That’s about it – my sin hadn’t had a whole lot of time to mature, if you will. And oddly enough I’ve always felt sheepish about that!

I sometimes wonder - are we as Christians so focused on the conversion story that we forget the angels rejoice when every person comes to Christ? The Bible doesn’t say they cheer louder when the abortion provider asks Jesus to forgive her or when a pimp falls to his knees to beg for God’s mercy. Those angels cheer for every one of us. I might not have been Saul on the road to Damascus, or even just in jail for a DUI, but I needed the Lord just the same – and I can see God’s hand on my life just as surely.

Do we do a disservice to God and to the church by not recognizing that every conversion is special? I know everyone loves a good story – myself included – but if the angels can cheer just as loudly for the pre-K set as those adults at the bottom of the pit – shouldn’t we? I mean, why else do we pour so much time, money and effort into youth programs, if not to bring them into an early fellowship with Jesus? It’s what every Christian parent prays for, right? An early and consistent walk with the Lord versus the prodigal?

So today, tell your testimony to someone. Even if it’s just sharing with a fellow believer how you came to Christ, share your story. Let someone cheer you like the angels did! Don’t minimize or belittle or apologize for it – praise Jesus for however He got a hold on you!