Every time I walk into the office where I work with my uncut hair, my knee length dress, and my unadorned face I am a Wordless Witness. Every time I ride my bike in my neighborhood in my sport-skirt with its modest leggings underneath, I am a Wordless Witness. Every time I go to the grocery store or the mall or travel on an airplane, I am a Wordless Witness. My clothes, my demeanor, and my beauty of holiness speak clearly. They speak to the noble and the ignoble. To the educated and the uneducated. To the curious and the uninterested. Sometimes, my holiness shouts, like when I am the only covered person on a beach. And sometimes, my holiness whispers, like if I am on the busy streets of Chicago where other Wordless Witnesses silently testify to the God they serve. Nonetheless, my holiness speaks.It tells others who I am, and it tells them to Whom I belong.

Who I Am

I am a book of Acts, Spirit-filled, One-God, Apostolic who believes that the Holy Bible is God’s word to man (John 1:1) and as such, should be wholly followed and adhered to. I have an active, dynamic relationship with the living eternal God. He speaks to me through His word, through the manifestation of His Spirit, through the five-fold ministry of the church, and through the circumstances of my day-to-day life. The holiness lifestyle that I choose to live is an expression of my love, obedience, and submission to my God, the Lord Jesus Christ. My uncut hair is an outward sign of my submission to my God, and to the spiritual authority in my life, namely my husband, and my pastor. Because of my joyful choice of this type of submission, the Holy Bible says that I have power with the angels.

For if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn: but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered. For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of the man. For the man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man. Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man. For this cause ought the woman to have power on herhead because of the angels (1 Corinthians 11:6-10)

But even more than the incredible privilege of having power with the angels to pray for my needs and the needs of others, I do what I do and live like I live because I am in love with the Lord Jesus Christ. He is everything to me, therefore I delight in dressing and behaving in a way that pleases Him. Just like I put on certain things that make my husband smile. So there are choices I make, and items of clothing I choose not to wear, because I believe it makes the Lord Jesus Christ smile.

“Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.” (Hebrews 12:14)

“But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:15-16)

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.” (Romans 12:1)

Other Wordless Witnesses

There are other Wordless Witnesses in the world whose clothes and demeanor tells the world who they are, and what god they serve. If you think about about it, almost all faiths are defined by a certain attire, or visible distinction. Most clubs, schools, and even the military, have dress and behavior codes that define them. They choose to do or not do, and dress or not dress in a way that identifies them with the group or god of their choice. Take a look at some pictures of Wordless Witnesses’ I found, and see if you can tell what god they serve:

So you see, these other Wordless Witnesses freely demonstrate who they are, and whom they serve. How much more then should Apostolics? I believe that just like when Elijah faced off with the prophets of Baal, that the proof of who the true God is can be found the God that delivers by fire.

“So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together unto mount Carmel. And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal,then follow him. And the people answered him not a word. Then said Elijah unto the people, I, even I only, remain a prophet of the LORD; but Baal’s prophets are four hundred and fifty men. Let them therefore give us two bullocks; and let them choose one bullock for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under: and I will dress the other bullock, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under: And call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the LORD: and the God that answereth by fire, let him be God. And all the people answered and said, It is well spoken.”(1 Kings 18)

And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word. Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the LORD God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again. Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God.

The God That Answers By Fire

The God I serve does answer by fire. Just like He did in the book of Acts. (Acts 3, Acts 4:22, Acts 5:12-16) In my lifetime, I have seen cancers healed, a woman get up out of a wheelchair and walk, a baby’s lungs restored, financial devastation reversed, mental illness eradicated, and much more. Why would I want to live any other way? When I pray in faith believing, God answers. Plain and simple. My lifestyle, my choice to surrender as much as possible to the God who answers by fire, fills me with incredible joy and anticipation of what each day holds, and what the Lord of Glory will choose to do through me.

The Beauty of Holiness

I have lived in the Beauty-of Holiness for over 30 years, but recently, since joining Dick Pond’s Walk 2 Run, as part of myButton JourneyI’ve had a renewed awareness of how my Wordless Witness might be having an impact. And, since I want so much to shine for the King of Glory, I reached out to some of my super-fit friends and asked them to share a picture of themselves with me of what their exercise Beauty-of-Holiness looks like.

Your Turn

So now it’s your turn. Do you have a Wordless Witness? Do you have ideas or suggestions for maintaining a shining Wordless Witness? Do you struggle? Let’s be real with one another and talk and share on this topic. Leave a comment below and join the conversation.