Challenge Others to a Deeper Walk with Jesus
Recently many of us in our area got
to experience the unusual event of a significant snowfall. I watched a number
of interesting posts on social media that day, some of which included members
of my own family. In addition to the usual pictures and videos of people
playing, having snowball fights, and creating snowmen, some of them
participated in what was being called a “snow-day challenge.” Most of the cases
involved individuals running out in the snow in shorts or other summer-like
outfits in order to roll on the ground and then make a snow angel by moving
their arms and legs back and forth along the snow-covered surface. However,
some of those challenges escalated into such crazy stunts as jumping into icy
swimming pools or rivers. Needless to say, I had no part in those activities. I
am getting to the age that my challenge in those situations is just to walk
around without slipping, falling, and hurting myself.
It is interesting what people will
do when challenged by others. Kids, and even some adults, have often been
emboldened to overcome a fear or in some cases to do something foolish as a
result of a peer simply saying, “I dare you.” Challenging others to do
something good when they are being held back by unfounded fears or by their
timidity can be a good thing. However, too often we give in to the challenges
issued to us to do something wrong or unwise, resulting in shameful consequences.
Maybe we need to make more of an
effort to challenge the people around us concerning knowing Jesus and fully
following Him. It could be that some of us need to accept that challenge
ourselves. Instead of making images in the snow of holy angels, let’s challenge
ourselves and others to be the holy people God calls us to be. Instead of
plunging into a freezing body of water, let’s challenge ourselves to dive more
deeply into our relationship with Jesus. Let’s go beyond just dipping our toes
into the waters of salvation, and totally immerse ourselves in all that the
Lord wants to do to change our hearts and lives. Let’s be challenged to go
deeper in the practice of prayer, in the understanding of God’s Word, in the
expressing of God’s love to others, and in letting the Lord use us in His
service to minister to the people around us.
In those snow-day challenges, often
specific individuals were “tagged” and singled out as recipients of the
challenge. Who are some people we can challenge to go deeper with the Lord? It
doesn’t just have to be through some verbal declaration that we issue such a
challenge. We can challenge others by being an example for them to follow. We
can challenge them by encouraging them and praying for them. We can challenge
them by being there to help them in their spiritual journey.
The Bible says, “As iron sharpens
iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend” (Proverbs 27:17). What
friends, family members, and other acquaintances can we be influencing in
positive ways for Christ? Who should we be sharpening – helping them to know
the Lord better and to become a more effective tool for Him to use? The Bible
pictures believers as building each other up in the faith. Are we doing that?
Are we not only growing in our own relationship with the Lord, but assisting
others to do the same?
Let’s reach out and challenge
others to a closer walk with Jesus. Don’t just do it with your words, but by
your example, by your love, by your prayers, and by your presence.
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