Matthew 26:13 Truly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.

What is her name?

If you say Mary the sister of Lazarus, look again. She anointed His feet and wiped them with her hair.

This is why we read the bible over and over again to keep certain facts straight. This woman in the house of Simon the leper is not identified by name but the act was recorded. Is it more important to have a name or to recognize the act?

Memory is a gift from God but to rely on it by human will relies on the instrument. Minds are not equal and how they store memory and recall those memories differ from person to person.

Many of us have our favorite verses memorized. Now answer this honestly, when is the last time you quoted that verse? Did you include the address or just the quote? If it has been some time, look it up and make sure you remembered it correctly. Now ask yourself, did you find it necessary to also include if the quote is from the KJV, ESV, NASB or NIV?

That is what I thought. Others listening might be familiar with a different version than what you placed into memory. This might not be important in a casual setting but in a group setting, lecture or teaching, it might. Keep that in mind. Here is one of mine.

Psalm 17:15 As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness; when I awake, I shall be satisfied with your likeness. (ESV)

KJV As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.

NIV As for me, I will be vindicated and will see your face; when I awake, I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness.

ICB Because I have lived right, I will see your face. When I wake up, I will see your likeness and be satisfied.

I memorized this verse in my earlier years via the KJV. As you can see, other versions have translated it in ways that are so different that if my early studies had not been in the KJV I would not have found it worthy of memorizing.

I might have been wrong in the correct interpretation, other revisionists disagree with the correct translation. I am not a student of Hebrew, Arimaic and Greek. I am a student of Christ and I know how I feel about what He says. Nothing in this life will satisfy me like the hope of waking up in eternity to find my final change has been completed.

Romans 11:33 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!

Do you know God?

Do you trust God?

Can you live with accepting that many of your questions may never be answered?

When the lost have questions and we have no answers, what do we say?

I can only say “Do you know me?” “Do you trust me?” “I only know what God has done for me!”

Living this life in Christ is a very personal journey and if they are to believe in our witness then we must never lie or exaggerate our importance. The “Good News” is only good news if it has been good to us.

They did not know us when we were lost, they can on know us as we are now. So how we express the love inside of us that made the difference may be all they have to see.

If we believe that repentance and confession is key to acceptance by faith, then understand that the lost will not confess to a person they do not know and trust.

• Psalm 5:11 But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them ever sing for joy, and spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may exult in you.
• Psalm 45:1 My heart overflows with a pleasing theme; I address my verses to the king; my tongue is like the pen of a ready scribe.

We have to believe His Word is true, even if we do not understand how or why He chooses to save. The offer of salvation was a free will offering and the choice to accept that gift has to be one of free will also. Wanting it desperately for someone we love isn’t enough. All we can do is love them and never lie to them.

The hard part is supposed to be the easiest part. Make ourselves available to be known.

Everyone who knows anything about the gospels—and even those who don’t—knows that Jesus was a friend of sinners. He often drew the ire of the scribes and Pharisees for eating with sinners (Luke 15:2). Jesus clearly recognized that one of the insults hurled against him was that he was “a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!” (Luke 7:34). As Christians we love to sing of this Pharisaical put-down because it means that Jesus is a friend to sinners like us. We also find ourselves challenged by Jesus’ example to make sure we do not turn away outsiders in a way that Jesus never would. (Alexandre Bida)

Do not fear quoting someone else’s good news.