Do
We Care
On
December 29, 2012, my oldest, Elijah invited me to join him in a role playing
game called Pocket Legends. You see he
had just had his wisdom teeth taken out and had just gotten a kindle for
Christmas. Boys gaming on gadgets – it
makes perfect sense. For those of you
who game you will understand what I’m talking about. To those that don’t just try and use your
imagination. Elijah is a ranger – a
cartoon fox; Miriam is an archer– a cartoon bird; Griffin is a mage – a cartoon
person; and I’m a warrior – a cartoon bear – named Bigmocynthia – for Big Momma
Cynthia. We played together for days
during the Christmas holiday but once the kids got back to school it faded and
we didn’t play very often. Even though
the kids have fallen off playing I have been faithful to my PL. Yes my family rolls their eyes and make fun
of my hobby. I know you are thinking where is she going with this? This is an online game played around the
world. I have met people from Malaysia,
Philippines, Canada, and England, just to name a few. Our backgrounds are different, I have never
seen or heard these people speak, yet I have a connection with them and God is
using me to witness to them. I can’t
tell you the number of people I have prayed with and shared scripture with
while playing this game. I have heard
stories of all kinds from a 12 year olds first date and heart break to an
abusive husband who is hitting his wife.
But there is one story I want to share with you today.
This
man is located in Malaysia, which is a Muslim country, however he is actually
catholic. He was telling me about a man
that he works with that had just lost his wife.
She had been ill for some time, and they never had any children. So my friend continues to tell me about this
husband and how distraught he is; feels he doesn’t have any reason to continue
living. I’m thinking well there’s hope
that one day he will see his wife again in heaven. So I type are they Christians? He replies no
Muslim. Then it hits me – there is no
hope, there is no hope, there is no hope.
Not knowing Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior over your life – there is no
hope. I try to explain to my PL friend,
wow that’s really hard, I believe….and then I get an over whelming sense of the
Holy Spirit convicting me.
Saying
– Cynthia you don’t care. Cynthia you
don’t care about my people. You don’t
care who goes to heaven except those close to you. Oh God you’re right – I think I said that out
loud. I had an unexplainable sorrow flood
me – I felt pain for a man in Malaysia who I don’t know, will never know, who
just lost his wife that I never met. I
don’t even know these people’s names.
This has changed my heart. I now
pray for Malaysia, I also pray for all the Muslim people to come know Christ as
Lord and Savior. Because I think that’s
what God is calling me to do at this moment.
This
got me thinking – do I care if my neighbors go to heaven? Do you care if your neighbors go to
heaven? Do we care about the people in
our neighborhoods, our community, our country, our world? Or do we only care about those closest to
us? Yikes, I want to say to God – please
don’t make me talk to my friends and neighbors.
That is so uncomfortable and then they will think I’m weird. Is this getting into your business? Are we going to let God get into our
business?
What
does the bible have to say on the matter?
Mark
16:15-16 New International Version (NIV)
15 He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the
gospel to all creation.16 Whoever believes and is
baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.
Matthew
28:19-20 New International Version (NIV)
19 Therefore go
and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the
Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and
teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am
with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Oh
yeah I know that scripture – we all know this scripture. It is the one we say I sure am glad we have
missionaries to do this. Nope –this one
is on us too. First let me ask you a
simple question. Trav has been asking us
for months to pray for the family or friend that we are supposed to ask to come
join us for church – have you been praying?
Do we care?
So
I don’t think we need to run around with our heads cut off yelling the sky is
falling better get saved today. And, I’m
not going to give you a lesson on witnessing.
I am going to tell you what I do.
I’m friendly, I try to say hello to everyone. Making eye contact is so important. For example when I’m walking into a store
from the parking lot I will greet people and be friendly. I’m not threatening, I’m open to all kinds of
conversations and topics. You don’t need
to pressure your own opinion that just turns people off. This is how we form relationships. When someone tells me about a problem I
listen. Solutions might not be what the
person is looking for. They just need an
ear to hear them vent. I try to give
them a scripture that will comfort them.
What they really need is someone who genuinely cares for them. And then I offer to pray with them – right
there – right then. And I don’t want to
hear you say, “But Cynthia you can do that so easily, I can’t.” It just takes practice – you have to
start. Start by praying with your
children, or your spouse, at the dinner table – make up your own. Spend some of your time alone praying out
loud to God – get used to hearing your own voice. Just start.
I promise you there is nothing more meaningful to a hurting person than
for you to pray for them. If someone has
prayed for you like this – you know exactly what I’m talking about. PRAYER IS POWERFUL! OUR GOD IS AMAZING!
Who
would have thought, 2 years ago when my chipmunk checked son said Mom play this
game with me…would have turned into a ministry.
Our God can use anything and anyone to further His Kingdom and bring
Glory to His name. It is time to let God
get into our business and say My God you’re right, let’s get started. Do we care?!
