A testimony is one person’s profession of faith in Jesus. However, our declaration of belief is much more than the story we tell. A good witness for the Lord consists of three parts: character, conduct, and conversation.

As Christians, we rightly place great emphasis on crafting a solid personal account of the Lord’s work in our life. We also talk about the ways that we can show Jesus Christ to our friends, family, and coworkers through our actions. But character is the part of every believer’s testimony that underlies both Christlike behavior and an honest life story.

In general, what we do and say represents the kind of person we are on the inside. Similarly, we can tell a lot about Philip’s character by noticing his actions and words recorded in Scripture. From among many believers, Philip was chosen as one who was wise and full of the Spirit. But he wasn’t selected for a prestigious ministry position—he was sent to serve food. Yet he went willingly to do this work and every other job the Lord gave Him, which shows his obedient spirit (Acts 6:5; Acts 8:5; Acts 8:26). We can be certain that he was a sincere and trustworthy man, because when he spoke, people listened (Acts 8:6). Philip’s testimony shines in every way.

You cannot trick God into thinking your character is righteous if it isn’t. Nor can you fake moral conduct or conversation with people for very long. Sooner or later, a proud, bitter, or unkind spirit yields behavior and speech contrary to the Christian message. But godly character produces real spiritual fruit.