Several years ago I was in a training session on recruiting and working with volunteers in the church. “Good stuff” is all I will say about this teaching. The teacher was Dane Demery who was formerly with Willie George Miniseries. They put out good stuff for kids. He mentioned he saw the movie “Black hawk Down” earlier in the week. That raised some eyebrows. Apparently some thought he should be more “spiritual” than to go to see a war movie. It didn’t bother me but then I sometimes take input for my teachings from George Patton, General, United States Army and Bull Halsey, Admiral, United States Navy. Dane noted that there were two things he saw in the movie that we needed to see in the Body of Christ.
1) We will not leave anyone behind.
No matter how bad it got the soldiers would not leave anyone behind. Men risked it all for others. One man crossed a street under fire twice to bring back medical supplies for a wounded comrade. Are Christians willing to risk it all for our brothers and sisters? If not, why not? All we risk is our time and energy, not our very lives.
2) What this is all about is the guy next to me.
I’m not totally familiar with the story line but I know there were guys that got out thinking everyone was out and then volunteered and went back for the others. One of them said something like, “They are going to call us war junkies because we are going back. It’s not about that. What this is all about is the guy next to me.”
When Christians get to the place that we don’t leave one of our own behind and it is about the guy (or gal) next to us we will begin to make a difference. We will show the world that we love and it is that love that shows because love is a verb not a noun. Love is not a thing. It is an action.
John 13:34-35
34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
(KJV)
If the US Army and Marines understand that how come we don’t? It was our commander in chief who first taught that lesson. He left none behind that would follow Him. Only Judas was lost and he chose that route. And Jesus taught that we are to go after the lost sheep, the ones that are out in the cold; the ones that stray. In spy work “out in the cold” means to be out in the field, at risk. Those who are not in the fold are at risk. They are like that spy, out in the cold.
In recent years I have see people and relationships being generally disposable in the church. It is easier to just dump someone than deal with the issues. Pastors talk about “back door evangelism” which has no scriptural basis. “If they want to leave” is used to justify not doing anything when people are hurt and it is too much bother to determine why they are leaving. Sadly, the only time the leaving raises concern in all too many churches is when the amount in the offering falls too much.
John 17:12
12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.
(KJV)
The only one He lost was the one who decided to not be with Him. Maybe there is a message there for us.
