May 17, 2021 – Click here to listen
I was standing by a swimming pool one day and saw a little boy fall in. He sank to the bottom like a rock. His mother was screaming that he couldn’t swim and immediately I dove in and swam down to the bottom of the deep end of the pool and grabbed him and swam towards the surface. Just as we came above water his mother, who was “massive”, jumped on my back. She could not swim either. I was able to shove the little boy over the side of the pool where onlookers could drag him to safety and then I had to deal with his wildly thrashing, hysterical, screaming mother. She very nearly drowned us both and clawed me like a cougar, but I finally got a choke hold on her from behind and swam her to the edge of the pool. She weighed about twice as much as I did and it was very difficult to get her out of the pool. Exhausted I emerged from the pool to be greeted by the little boy. He hugged me and thanked me as did his mother a few minutes later. I found out from him that he sank so suddenly because he had just had surgery on his shoulders and could not raise his arms above his waist.
This event happened over 50 years ago, but I still remember it like yesterday. This is the one and only life I have ever saved. It was a really good feeling and it even made the local paper. I can only imagine how it makes the police, paramedics, firefighters, military etc. feel to save lives on a daily basis.
For some reason I was thinking of this little boy today and was wondering how his life turned out. As often happens, this led me to wonder about his salvation and whether or not he is a “born again” Christian. I pray he is.
How much more rewarding would it have been had I led him to Christ whereby he would be saved for all of eternity? Although God is the One who does the saving, we can be instrumental in planting a seed and leading others to His saving grace and thereby play an important part in the process.
I witness to people often. I am rarely rebuffed and most of the time people act like they really appreciate the fact that I care enough about them to take time to witness to them. Although no one can judge another’s heart and know for sure whether someone has accepted the Lord or not, (except God), I feel certain that I have led many to Christ which is very rewarding.
I read something yesterday that I agreed with; it said that we should not be selfish and always be longing for the Lord to return for the Rapture and take us out of this sin-filled world and into paradise prematurely. Indeed I have been guilty of that myself especially when I am tired and sick or just plain fed up with this sin-filled world. There is work that needs to be done and lost souls on this earth who need to hear about Jesus Christ. We need to tell others what Christ has done for us in our lives and encourage them to take advantage while there is still time.
God has patiently delayed His return in order that more people will have time to join Him in heaven, not wanting a single person to perish and be eternally separated forever. We are His sons and daughters and should want the same thing that He wants. Eventually, our lives on this earth will be over and we will die or perhaps God’s patience will finally run out and He will return and it will be too late for anyone to be saved.
I would like to have a reunion with the little boy I rescued that day so long ago. How much better would it be to have a reunion in heaven with him and perhaps reminisce about the day I introduced Him to Christ? Witnessing is one of the most important commands God has given us. It also brings the most rewards. If you are not currently witnessing to anyone, please start today. Just try it out on someone. It is far easier than you might imagine and best of all God is right there with you helping you and giving you the words to say every step of the way.
Don’t be a selfish Christian always preoccupied with your own problems, aches, and pains or your quest for worldly things that eternally will not be present. Just think, there are people that YOU KNOW and care about that are lost right now and as a result will spend all of eternity in Hell separated from God and all of His children. How terrible it will be for them to perish without you at least making an attempt to rescue them. There is a vast field of lost souls out there ready for the harvest. Someone needs to lead them to Christ, why not let it be you?
Matt. 9:37
The harvest truly is plentiful, but
The laborers are few.