Silenced Witness

Read Psalm 51:13-15

The sins we commit not only affect us, but they affect others-- even the unsaved. David discovered this when he tried to witness for the Lord. No wonder he wrote, "Deliver me from blood-guiltiness, O God, the God of my salvation, and my tongue shall sing aloud of Your righteousness" (v. 14). His hands were bloody. Why? He had killed Uriah, the husband of the woman with whom he had committed adultery. God saw him do it, and Joab, the general of David's army, knew what he had done.

Sin also silenced his tongue. He had no song and no witness. "O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall show forth Your praise" (v. 15). David was accustomed to praising the Lord, but now he is silent. When we lose our song and our praise and our testimony, we affect others. David was not able to talk to people about the Lord. But when God forgave him and his sin was washed away, he was able to say, "Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners shall be converted to You" (v. 13).

If you are ever tempted to say, "I can sin and get away with it," just remember David. He sinned, but he didn't get away with it. Sin affected his whole being, his family and the people to whom he should have brought the witness of the Lord.

God has called each of us to be His witness. Our task is to teach transgressors His ways. Our privilege is to lead sinners to the Lord. "You shall receive power; . . . and you shall be witnesses to Me" (Acts 1:8). Our sin affects our witness. Let's ask God to cleanse us and open our lips so we can share the good news of the Gospel with others.

Sin spreads like a disease. It not only robs your joy, but it affects your witness to others. As long as you give sin room in your life, your spiritual life will be ineffective. Don't let sin steal your witness for the Lord. Keep your heart clean before Him.

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