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Server’s
or Observer’s
After an L-1011 jet crashed at the
Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, the Fort Worth
Star-Telegram dedicated an entire section to the tragedy. One of
the articles was based on an interview with an ambulance driver
who arrived at the scene long after many of the other rescue
squads. When he arrived, the tail section of the plane was still
on fire, but it appeared that all rescue attempts were finished.
Curious, he walked closer to the wreckage. To his amazement, he
heard a woman screaming. Next, he spotted a man on fire
thrashing about in the plane ’s tail section. Immediately he
called for help, but no one came. He was shocked, but worked as
fast
as possible and was able to save the lives of both the man and
the woman.
Is it not amazing that there were
rescuers all around seemingly just observing when there was
serious work to do?
Unfortunately, many Christians are the
same way, content to set in church, go to Bible study, and yet
never participate in sharing the gospel. They spend countless
hours and resources preparing themselves to do Gods work, but
when someone is hurting and crying out for help they fail to
hear the call or see the needs of others. Even when ministry
opportunities are put in front of them, either from the pulpit
or another source they place themselves and their own desire, or
fears at the top of the priority list.
Some fail to answer the call for help out
of fear they will be able to share the gospel with the person;
others are filled with apathy. Others are afraid to cross the
socioeconomic line that is so prevalent in today’s society.
The most common reason is the expectation of rejection of
what they offer. This, I believe comes from the constant call to
“win souls for the Kingdom”. God’s word tells us to spread
the gospel unto the world (Matthew
28:19), Jesus also said in Luke
9:5; 5If people do not welcome
you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave their town, as
a testimony against them.” In other words…if they are not
willing to accept Christ, leave it till another time.
At
a point some years back I came to a point in my walk where I
became complacent. Somehow I had begun to fail God. Somehow
I began to take my blessings for granted. Somehow I had forgotten how God had
changed my life years ago. Somehow I had let my new heart, my
new self, become not enough knowledge, afraid I wouldn’t know
what to say. Somehow I had forgotten God said He would prepare
the way and provide the words. Somehow I had begun to lose the
joy that Christ had given me. I had become what I now call a
Sunday morning Christian. I was like the servant in Luke 19 who
was given one talent, and out of fear of losing it and failing
his master, did nothing with it. I only did what I had to do to
maintain my outward Christian appearance, while inside I was
dieing a slow and painful death. Had I continued in my mundane
manner, especially with the apathy which had become ever present
in my life I would still be sitting on the pew on Sunday morning
complaining about the people I had came to mirror.
I
said all the “somehow”, now 12 years later I know what
happened. I had been trying the “turn or burn” method of
witnessing, I used a lot of prepared stuff, mainly from CWT. It
was all a hard sale Jesus program, you know the believe as I
believe talk. Some times I even made my exit with a “Burn in
Hell then”. Boy did I burn a lot of bridges behind me. Not to
count the lost hope of many of the people I encountered ever
listening to the gospel or coming to a relationship with Christ.
My bad methods led to no converts, which made me believe I was a
failure, so I just turned inward, complacent with my own
salvation.
I was brought to brokenness by my
failures when on a mission project a group of youth began
sharing the gospel with people in a neighborhood in which we
were working. As I observed them sharing God’s word in a way
now known as friendship evangelism, I saw people accepting
Christ. They had used a simple way of just talking to people
about why we were in the community, then when they had the
chance they would explain how God had came into their life
during a point of need, how God had changed them, and how God
was working in their lives during the week.
During the week I had to ask God to
forgive me for my shortcoming and give me another chance to
serve Him, this time through total surrender of all I had. I
began to see people in a new light, the hurting in their lives,
the needs they had became prevalent. It was like I had just been
given sight. I began to listen to the words others had to say
instead of being the one doing all the talking. I began a new
walk; this time it paralleled my words.
Since that time God has given me the
opportunity to share my testimony and His word with hundreds of
hurting and downtrodden people. He has allowed me to take part
in the plowing, planting, watering and
harvesting souls for His kingdom. My cup is in a constant state
of being poured out, yet it is always full, overflowing.
Luke
6:38 38Give, and it will be given to you. A good
measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be
poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be
measured to you.”
The stench of the homeless goes away when
you give them a hug the way God embraced you when you were
filthy with sin, a drink of water offered by someone, in a stained
cup, goes down good when you think of the living water
Christ provides. Your burden as well as the burden of those you
encounter is lightened when you join hands in prayer. And no one
goes hungry when you share the bread of life Jesus provided.
Have you been observing, blaming peoples
need on their on failures and shortcomings? Have you been afraid
to cross the invisible line drawn by income brackets and racial
backgrounds? Have you been afraid you would not know how to
answer their questions?
Don’t be, just share the “why” you
came to God, the “how” you came to God and “what” He has
done you since you met.
Matthew
9:37
Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but
the workers are few.
Christianity is not a spectator sport; it
is a rescue operation, and comes with a responsibility to lead
the lost to God's saving grace, minister to the downtrodden, and
serve God’s people, isn't it time to stop observing and start serving?
Clyde
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