A witness is simply someone who tells what they have seen and heard. These women remembered what Jesus had said about rising again. So, they took what they saw and heard at the tomb, put it together with Jesus’s previous teachings, and rushed to tell the disciples about Jesus’s resurrection. They told everyone that He lived—everything they had seen and heard. The fear of their story sounding like nonsense didn’t keep them from sharing what they knew to be true. Eventually Jesus would ask all of His disciples to be witnesses of His life and resurrection. The term “witness” can sound overwhelming or “preachy,” but all it really means is telling other people what you know and what you’ve experienced. Witnessing to others can happen through speaking, writing, or the way you live your life day to day. It’s not about getting up in other people’s faces; it’s about sharing. It’s about our actions and decisions demonstrating our joy and our freedom. The things we do, both large and small, witness to what we believe in. And don’t be afraid of being accused of nonsense. Hold onto what you know to be true and live it fully.

Consider these questions as you reflect on today’s reading:

Our responsibility is to be a witness in the world no matter how the world responds. Do you feel as though you and your life are a good witness to others? How could that be improved?

Even the disciples didn’t believe what the women had to say at first. How does this impact you and your witness to others?