One day when I was a young man I was relaxing around the swimming pool at the apartments where I was living and a little boy about 12 years old fell in the deep end of the pool and sank like a rock. He didn’t even flutter. I quickly dove in and swam to the bottom and retrieved him and brought him to the surface. Just as we emerged, his screaming 250 lb. mother jumped right on my head and back, (nearly breaking my neck in the process).
She couldn’t swim either and was in full panic mode. Somehow I was able to shove the little kid up on the side of the pool and then the fight was on. She was terrified and was clawing at me like an enraged bobcat as she thrashed around trying to stay afloat, and we were both in real danger of drowning. I went underwater several times as I tried to get her off me and finally I hit her as hard as I could right in the mouth. It didn’t knock her out, but stunned her enough whereby I could flip her over. Then with my arm firmly around her neck in a chokehold, I was able to swim her over to the side whereby some onlookers helped her out of the water.
I hung on to the side of the pool panting and exhausted from the fight and finally was able to crawl up on the decking. I was bleeding where she’d dug her fingernails into my neck and arms and was standing there dabbing at my wounds with my beach towel watching the little boy’s mother and thinking that she reminded me of a beached whale. She was still hysterically shrieking, crying and sobbing and obviously had been terrified by her and her son’s near drowning experience.
The little boy walked over and put his arm around me and gave me a hug and looked up and softly thanked me for saving their lives. In a few minutes his mother did likewise and told me that the little boy had just had an operation on his arm and could not raise it. He was walking around the pool and suddenly slipped and fell in, and when she saw it happen was so frightened for him she jumped in and tried to rescue him, (even though she couldn’t swim a lick).
I don’t know what made me think of that incident this morning, it happened nearly 50 years ago but I still vividly remember it like it was yesterday. I wonder what ever became of the little boy and if he ever reminisces about that incident too,
I was amazed this Sunday that we had yet another person make a decision for Christ at Honey Lake Church. Many people were out of town and the church was not all that well attended and I assumed that most of the folks at the service had long ago made their decisions to follow Christ and were good to go. (We’ve never had a Sunday service at Honey Lake Church without someone making a decision. I keep thinking that will change, but so far our gracious Lord has blessed our ministry enormously.)
I am a part of a faith based organization that is really into keeping numbers of those who make decisions for Christ as a result of their ministry. The leader insists that we need to “keep score” in order to know if we are progressing or regressing.
Hmmm . . . I have mixed feelings about keeping score. The Bible tells us that we, are like farmers, we sow seeds by witnessing, preaching, and teaching the Gospel. God draws those folks to Himself and when they surrender their hearts to Him, His Holy Spirit baptizes them and transforms their lives forever.
So, should we keep records of how many seeds we sow? How many folks pray the sinner’s prayer? How many baptisms? How many finish discipleship programs or enroll in Bible studies? How many go on to become a witness for Christ and sow seeds themselves or what?
How would you ever know if those records were accurate? Only God can really know those details . . .
Personally I don’t keep any records. I’m enormously blessed when I see folks come forward after I witness, give my testimony, preach, or when I receive letters from folks who’ve read my book or Words for the Day, but to my way of thinking I’m blessed at what God has done; not by anything I’ve done.
Sadly I know that all of those many folks who come forward will not stick with Jesus anyway, because the Bible tells us that. Satan wants every single one of them back and is prepared to use every fiery dart in his quiver to fight for them.
I’m reminded of that little boy who fell in the pool and sank like a rock. After I thought I’d rescued him, I discovered that the fight had just begun, and it was a battle royale (and one that could have easily ended badly).
Jesus used a parable to describe what happens when someone hears the word of God.
“Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seeds. As he scattered them across his field, some seeds fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate them. Other seeds fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seeds sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow. But the plants soon wilted under the hot sun, and since they didn’t have deep roots, they died. Other seeds fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants. Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted! Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.”
Jesus then explained the parable:
“Now listen to the explanation of the parable about the farmer planting seeds: The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message about the Kingdom and don’t understand it. Then the evil one comes and snatches away the seed that was planted in their hearts. The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy. But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word. The seed that fell among the thorns represents those who hear God’s word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life and the lure of wealth, so no fruit is produced. The seed that fell on good soil represents those who truly hear and understand God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!”
I hope that it is not lost on you that this parable began with a farmer, (us), planting seeds (and if we carry that thought further, as farmers we should nurture our crops by weeding and fertilizing them). Though not all of it will come up and do well, some of it will thrive beyond our wildest dreams.
Today I don’t know if that little boy that I rescued is still alive or not, and I don’t know how many of the seeds I’ve planted for the Kingdom are producing today, or even how many seeds I’ve planted, but I am trying to plant seeds every single day using every method that I can imagine.
One day I suppose God will reveal numbers to me, but honestly, numbers don’t motivate me. In my dark days I came extremely close to death many times and on several occasions could have just as easily slipped over the edge and died. Had I died at that point in my life, I would be in hell right now and would stay there FOREVER.
What motivates me is that I know that others are in danger of dying in their sins right now too, and unless someone plants the “Jesus seed” in their hearts, a tragedy of epic proportions will occur and literally billions of folks will be eternally separated from God and everything good in creation.
It pleases me, and oh how it must please God to see someone saved from such a fate . . . That is what motivates me and I hope you . . . Selah . . .
Gal. 6:8
Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.
December 31, 2013 – Click here to listen