How can they call if they have not heard?

I had the privilege of attending the graduation of the students from our first Modular B School to be held in South Africa. One of the graduates has a sister who’s on the team and she had told him about the school. He stood up to give his testimony of what God had done in his life over the past two years through the school. He was however so overcome by emotion that for a while he could only look at his sister and say over and over again “thank you!”

Just those words, “thank you”, spoken from the depth of his heart, touched and challenged me so much. I realised I also have brothers and sisters, whom I love dearly. Will they stand in front of me one day and say “thank you”, or will they say “You knew. Why didn’t you tell me?” I have been so well equipped with the best first aid kit possible – but what am I doing with it? Just stashing it in my bag for a rainy day? Or keeping it just in case I need it when my reserves are running low? No, I have life and hope and can throw people a life-line every day, but what am I doing with it?

We all have parents, brothers and sisters, children, colleagues, friends or acquaintances, who desperately need to know that there’s hope available instead of despair, there’s peace available instead of confusion, there’s a way where there seems to be no way, and we have answers, but how can they call for help or how can they believe that there is even help available, if they have not heard?

So don’t keep silent. Be ready and available, in season and out of season, to give an answer for the hope that you have – the hope that there’s someone they can hold on to in the storms of life, and His name is Jesus.

My challenge today is don’t do things just to receive a ‘thank you’. But always be ready to take the opportunity of holding out a hand of encouragement. Introduce them to the source of true ‘life’ – Jesus Christ.

Prayer: Thank You, Lord Jesus, that You’re the author and finisher of our faith, and that You’ve equipped us to be able to make a difference. Help us to be ready to tell those around us that there’s hope and healing available because of You, and that there’s true meaning to life in You. Amen.