bits from bob....
I Am Afraid!
by Robert J. Young
©, 2002, Robert J. Young
[permission is given to reprint with credit noted]
I frankly admit it: I am afraid!
- I am afraid many of us have lost all sense of responsibility to share the gospel with our friends and neighbors.
- I am afraid too many Christians have decided the task of visitation and evangelism is for preachers and other Christians.
- I am afraid too few Christians see souls when they interact with other people.
I need to be reminded that each one of the 6+ billion people in our world--in all shapes and sizes, ages, colors, lifestyles, values, and interests--is made in God's image and will spend eternity either in heaven or hell.
In the midst of so many persons, it is easy to forget the value of one. When many reject and ridicule — or worse, apathetically ignore --Christianity, it is easy to assume everyone is alike.
No one is ordinary. Everyone is special to someone. Everyone is special to God. God sees, God cares, God loves, God saved. Most people don't know that. Most people will never know unless we tell them. C. S. Lewis in The Weight of Glory said it well:
"You have never met a mere mortal....But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub, or exploit...."
I am uncomfortable with "must do" definitions of Christianity. I believe Jesus much more often spoke of "must be" discipleship (which takes care of the doing). In my Bible, one "must be" of discipleship is "evangelism." That makes me like Christ — Christian (Luke 5:32, 19:10, et. al.), because Jesus came seeking and saving lost persons. If you Bible reads like mine, that makes our efforts in reaching out with the message of Jesus "must be" efforts. Please pray about these things.
"Thank you, Father, for loving us so much, and help us to see that no one is ordinary, so that we will share your burden for saving souls. In Jesus' name, Amen."
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Last updated January 2, 2002.