Get Involved

by George Prasher, Manchester, England | Category: General | Sept 1995

The Lord Jesus Christ challenges all who know and love Him to take action in furtherance of His cause. This challenge comes out in the story of the man on the Jericho road (Luke 10). A priest who happened to be going down that way saw the injured man lying by the roadside, but passed by on the other side. He did not want to get involved in helping because it meant inconvenience and possibly danger. A Levite who passed by a little later showed the same attitude. It was left to a stranger, a Samaritan, to show the neighbourly spirit so highly commended by the Lord. This Samaritan gave first aid to the victim, set the man on his own beast, took him to a place of safety and paid for his maintenance there. 'Go, and do thou likewise' was the Lord's challenge to the lawyer and to us.

All around us are people of different age groups needing our help above everything else the need to introduce them to our Saviour and share with them our experiences in serving Him. When opportunities come our way we may sometimes tend to 'pass by on the other side'. To use the opportunity may interfere with something we wish to enjoy ourselves, or we just do not feel like bothering. But many of our readers will know the satisfaction and lasting pleasure that has come from helping others for His sake. It is so worth-while to feel that time and energy have been used to help those who need Christ.

There are many ways in which we can be involved in service for the Master. The spread of Christian literature has been the means of bringing spiritual light and life to thousands. If we each prayerfully distribute a little literature each week it could be greatly used to enlighten others.

Youth work is another challenging area of Christian service. Teenagers who love the Lord can often attract younger boys and girls to gather in Bible Club or Sunday School, and present the gospel to them in an appealing way. Summer Camps are organized as a supplement to this kind of work. At the camps there is great scope for enthusiastic service - camp chores, tent leadership, organizing games activities and so much else that makes camp life go with a swing. While this background offers wide opportunity for leading boys and girls to the Saviour or encouraging them to follow Him.

Do you remember our Master's parable about someone else who refused to get involved? Refresh your memory by reading Matthew 25:14-30. To one of the servants in the parable his lord gave a single talent with which to trade. But while other servants were busily trading this man decided simply to dig in the earth and hide his lord's money. He did not want to be involved in trading risks or the trouble of making effort to gain profit. This 'dropout' attitude may infect disciples of Christ today. They may calculate that they do not want to risk the reaction from others which witness for Christ' often brings. They lazily decide not to trouble to make an effort. The parable pointedly condemns this sort of attitude. It reminds us too that each one of us will have to give account to the Lord Jesus as how we have used our opportunity to serve and witness. The servants whose trading gained profit were commended and richly rewarded. We earnestly hope that all disciples of Christ reading this magazine will pray God to guide them into positive effort in Christian service. He may then one day say to you also, 'Well done, good and faithful servant'.

George Prasher, Manchester, England | Sept 1995
General