Saturday, January 18, 2025

 

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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