A MINUTE TO SPARE
Like many pastors, I have spent many days (and more than a few nights) visiting the hospital. After making several hospital visits one day a few years ago, I found myself very close to my wife’s office. I decided to stop by to see her for a short visit. Since the time of my visit was around 12 o’clock (and after several not-so-subtle hints), I decided to take her to lunch. Before walking to a local eatery, however, we needed to restock the parking meter with coins in order to avoid the ever-present parking monitor. We placed 52 minutes worth of coins in the meter and then headed down the street for lunch.
From the time we left the parking meter until we returned to my car, we walked two blocks each way, visited with two church members, Joyce visited with a lady who had attended graduate school with her, and we enjoyed our meal. All of a sudden I glanced at my watch and realized that we needed to be heading back toward the meter in order to avoid a possible citation. Following our two-block stroll back to Joyce’s office and the spot where my car was parked, we arrived at the meter with only one minute to spare before expiration! Earlier I had observed that meters without any time remaining on the “parking clock” flashed Expired repeatedly. Although I had “cut it close,” fortunately my time had not expired before the meter attendant passed judgment on me.
Have you ever stopped to ponder the possibility that many people you meet in the normal events of life or those with whom you associate regularly are cutting it close with respect to surrendering their heart and life to Christ? Who do you know who has never trusted Jesus as their Savior? Who do you know that needs a personal witness from you? What name can you lift before the Lord in prayer asking that the convicting power of the Holy Spirit would move mightily in their life? What family member or friend currently is heading for eternal separation from the God? Only a minute is needed to tell someone that:
- Everyone is a sinner (Romans 3:23);
- Everyone deserves death (Romans 6:23a);
- God loves everyone (John 3:16, Romans 6:23b, Romans 5:8);
- Everyone can be rescued from their sin and eternal separation from God (Romans 10:9-10, 13; John 1:12, John 3:16-17).
Your investment of 60 seconds in someone else could yield eternal dividends in their life. The refrain to a song asks: “Do you really care? Do you know how to share with people everywhere? Do you really care?” The song also points to the reality that people grope in darkness waiting for someone who cares to lead them into the LIGHT of Jesus’ love. My prayer is that you and I will offer a personal witness and that all of our churches will provide a corporate witness within local communities across Mississippi and beyond. Only a minute is needed to tell someone about the life-changing love, grace, and mercy of Jesus Christ. Will you take a minute today to point someone toward eternal life with the Lord?
Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for those who took time to invest in me and to lead me to trust Jesus as my Savior. May I be sensitive to opportunities to encourage others to trust Him also. Amen. Daniel