As the created, we all have a story to be told about our Creator, which makes it the unique witness of God’s imprint in our lives. As a young Christian, I’m blessed to be surrounded by many faithful witnesses. Every one of them has inspired me in different ways with their personal stories.
Xiaoyou
Xiaoyou, who is about six this year, was there in my first Sunday school class. Helen, another teacher who knows her well, attempted to help Xiaoyou tell her story to me.
“Xiaoyou was diagnosed with a kind of disease when she was very little. Do you still remember it, Xiaoyou?” Asked Helen.
“I remembered that I was sick, but I didn’t know what the disease was, even doctors didn’t know about it.” Replied Xiaoyou. “
Xiaoyou’s mom prayed to God earnestly about her daughter’s cure day and night. Eventually, the prayer was answered and Xiaoyou became well. Again, the doctor couldn’t find out the reason for recovery either.” Helen said to me.
As a Bible student, I read about Jesus’ physical healing numerous times. However, I was still stunned by this story of the events that happened to the little girl who sat in front of me. Xiaoyou’s very experience showed God’s merciful response to His child’s plight.
Jack
God not only works in the life of those little ones, but also in the life of a teenager who is capable of perceiving the Bible himself.
Jack is fourteen this year and we attend the same Bible study class. He was the youngest student in the class when I first met him two years ago. In the beginning, I presumed that he might come to the class under his parents’ pressure and wouldn’t enjoy adults’ talking that much.
However, I was utterly wrong after the first class. Jack answered questions correctly when adults were embarrassed by their wrong answers. Meanwhile, he paid close attention to obscure details of Biblical figures and grasped their intentions of certain actions precisely. It’s noticeable that Jack views things with a fresh view instead of a rigid mind like the one I hold.
Jack is a home-schooled student. Nevertheless, one could easily see how the word of God shapes his mind and young life differently when compared with those who attended schools.
Enying
Knowing God also makes distinct differences in people’s later life. Enying, the eldest sister in church, is ninety this year. She remembers very few things but never forgets starting her day with prayer, reciting Psalm 23 and singing Psalm 150.
I’m constantly encouraged by her whenever I engage with her. Enying has lived in a nursing home for about 11 years. I call her occasionally when I’m not available to visit her. Our conversation often ends up with her saying “praise the Lord”, no matter what topic we covered previously. Her unquenchable faith and complete confidence helped me so much when I was struggling with my own faith, that sometimes I cried tears of relief when she helped me sort out a problem.
We celebrated Enying’s ninetieth birthday this morning. She was happy and touched most of the time, but she also stated that she would rather be taken away by the Lord soon. We always responded that it’s not time yet. She doesn’t know that her very life makes God and Christianity real and beautiful to young followers.
As I recall Enying’s life, she held fast to her faith during cultural revolution, adjusted her life to the new era and never ceased to seek the presence of God. I couldn’t stop picturing my old life whenever I saw Enying. I hope that I can live a fruitful life and be the inspiration to young people, just as Enying does.
Seeing the amazing work that God performs on other Christians continuously stimulates me to go further with my faith. As Hebrew chapter 12, verse 1 puts: therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.