Punched by a Jehovah’s Witness

“You hit me, lady!” That was my response to the Jehovah’s Witness who punched me in the arm for disagreeing with her beliefs about God.

I was mowing my lawn when she and a young girl approached me and launched into her presentation. I knew what to expect since I had studied a lot about Jehovah’s Witnesses and their denial of the deity of Christ and their belief that salvation must be earned.

After she spoke, I kindly expressed to her how God’s grace had transformed my life. I shared the joy I had found, knowing God loved me, not based on my good works, but on what Christ did for me on the cross. I wasn’t interested in joining her religion that required her to go door to door witnessing, hoping it would get her points with God.

Compelled by love, I asked her, “Why would I try to earn something that God has already given me for free?” That’s the question that made her mad and caused her to sock me. I think it shocked the young girl who was with her as much as it shocked me.

Religion is burdensome because its about achieving by works. The gospel of Christ is about receiving by faith. The work we focus on is not ours, but the work Christ did on the cross.

Of course, witnessing is important. If God leads you to go door to door, go for it. What’s most important is having the right message and the right motive.

The right message is, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.” Ephesians‬ ‭2‬:‭8‬-‭9‬ ‭NIV‬‬

The right motive is, “we try to persuade others. . . For Christ’s love compels us.” 2 Corinthians 5:11,14

Love must be the motivation behind our witnessing. If this precious lady had been compelled by love to talk to me, she wouldn’t have hit me for disagreeing with her message. For love “is not easily angered.” 1 Corinthians 13:5

We are all called to be witnesses for Christ. I think of it more as being a reporter of good news. A news reporter doesn’t tell people what to do. Their job is to announce what has already been done! Have you heard the news?

The good news is that God is in love with us sinful, selfish humans and He proved it once and for all by dying for our sins. We’ve been forgiven. On top of that, He has given us the Holy Spirit to empower us to live like Christ. It’s all a gift! Now we get to report this wonderful news to others. For Christ’s love compels us.

So I’ll keep speaking and writing about the love of Christ. I can’t help it. It’s been poured into my heart and it spills out at the most random times. Sometimes I make people mad. But if getting punched in the arm is the worst I ever suffer for preaching the good news, I will be thankful.