“Report What Great Things The Lord Has Done For You”
[By Cameron Piner]
“As He was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed was imploring Him that he might accompany Him. And He did not let him, but He said to him, “Go home to your people and report to them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He had mercy on you.” And he went away and began to proclaim in Decapolis what great things Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed” (Mk. 5:18-20, NASB).
It is easy to look at yourself and think that you don’t have much to contribute to the LORD’s work. To think, “I don’t have enough knowledge, money, reputation, talent, etc. to be useful in the LORD’s kingdom.” However, when I compare myself to the man in Mark 5, then it is hard to deny that I have more than enough knowledge, resources, and talents to use in service to the LORD.
The man in Mark 5 had been possessed by thousands of demons, he lived in tombs, his reputation was one of being a crazed mad-man who could not be bound, he was covered in self-inflicted cuts and bruises, his voice was probably worn out and hoarse from screaming all the time, it was unlikely that he had any money or close friends, and he had basically zero knowledge about Jesus’ teachings. If anyone was totally unqualified and unequipped to be given an important job, then it was this man. Nevertheless, Jesus didn’t tell this man that he needed to go spend a couple of years putting his life back together, maybe follow Jesus around for a while and listen to His teachings, and probably get a job or some kind of income to have some resources to work with. Instead, Jesus told this man to go and “report what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He had mercy on you” (Mk. 5:19, NASB). What “talent” did this man have? What “role” did he have in the Lord’s work? His “talent” was his own experience, his story, his testimony about the power and compassion of Jesus. His “role” was to tell others his experience, to tell them his story, to testify to them about what Jesus had done to change his life.
What about me? What about you? How do we compare with this man? We probably have more resources, we probably have more connections, and we probably have more knowledge about the will of God. But, whether we have many or few “talents” to use for God, we certainly all have our own story. What great things has God done for you? How has Jesus shown you compassion? In what ways has the Christ changed your life? It is your role to use the “talent” of your experiences, of your story, to testify about the power and compassion of Jesus.
Our experiences vary. Our stories are all unique. What I’ve gone through, you might not have gone through; and maybe I’ve never experienced something that you had to endure. But, whatever your story is, sharing our experiences can be powerful. If someone has gone through depression, anxiety, or other mental or emotional struggles, then they are uniquely qualified to help someone else who is going through those same struggles. If someone loses a loved one, then they might find the most comfort and support from someone who has also experienced losing a loved one. If you have gone through abuse, neglect, or other types of trauma, then you might have the ability and responsibility to help others who are going through something similar. If you’ve raised a child, then you can be there for others raising children. If you’ve had success in business, then you can guide others to use their success humbly for God. If you have been lost in sin, then you can help others overcome the darkness of sin. If you’ve come to Christ, then you can lead others to Christ.
How? – “I don’t know enough”, “I’m not skilled enough”, “I don’t know where to start…” – We make up all kinds of excuses for why we don’t do more to help others, especially in the area of evangelism. But, the man in Mark 5 didn’t use any of those excuses, he just went and proclaimed what great things Jesus had done for him. We can do that too.
Consider the apostle Paul before the Jews (Acts 22), he told the story of his own conversion. Consider Paul before Agrippa (Acts 26), Paul used his own experience to testify/ witness to Agrippa, and it almost persuaded him to become a Christian. Consider your own story – why are you a Christian? Who were you before and why did you change? What impact has Jesus had on your life? What convinced you about the need for salvation, and that salvation was found in Christ? – then simply tell your story to others. Use the “talent” of your own experiences in service to the LORD and His children. “Go home to your own people and report to them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He had mercy on you” (Mk. 5:19, NASB).