A New List

I have done this before, and literally always fallen off the wagon. I am good for a few days or even a few weeks, but then I just give up. Sometimes, I just stop. But today, I am making a new list, and it is a list that is more important than any countdown or any other list you could think of.

But I’ll get back to that.

Today I am also remembering. I remember the “super Christian” teen who didn’t go to church with me, but was from another town. I remember how this teenager talked to everyone about Christ and how it seemed like every week was bringing someone to the Lord.

And I remember, since I was from another town and watching at a distance, the comments. They weren’t comments of “Wow! What a great servant of God!” or “More brothers and sisters in Christ! What could be more glorious!”

No, they were comments of derision and questioning. “It must be coerced” or “They’ll never stay. He’s not really teaching them; he’s just playing the emotion game.” And yes, while I didn’t say those things, in my mind I was agreeing.

And I’m ashamed of that. I see names on Facebook and Twitter of classmates and friends from over the years who were around me and knew I “went to Church,” but whom I never invited to worship or to a Bible study. I’d like to cheer myself up a bit by thinking that my example was enough, but I know that it wasn’t. I know that I should have at least given an invitation to someone…or several someones.

No, I am not wishing that I would have been some “super Christian teen.” I am not even wishing that now I would be some “super Christian adult.” So what is it that I am wishing?

I am wanting to live out the words of a song that haunts me every time I sing it. I truly love the song, but I must not love it enough, because I am not letting it show in my life. It’s an old song that is rarely sung anymore, and I think I know why. Here are some of the words:

I want to be a soul winner for Jesus ev’ry day,

He does so much for me;

I want to aid the lost sinner to leave his erring way,

And be from bondage free.

 

I want to be a soul winner till Jesus calls for me,

To lay my burdens down;

I want to hear Him say, “Servant, you’ve gathered many sheaves,

Receive a shining crown.”

I sing those words and think, “I really want to” … until life gets busy, or until someone says “no” or until , until , until , until…

and I want to live the words “until Jesus calls for me to lay my burdens down.”

Now, back to the list.

Today, I am starting a new list, and it is going to be with me everywhere I go. It is going to be the names of those I want to invite to study or to worship. It is going to be a list of those I often see who I know are lost, but for some reason I have never said a word to about the Lord. Will they become Christians? I have no idea. But I need to plant and water. Even if no one on the list ever comes to Christ, I do not want it to be for my lack of devotion to His cause.

No, I don’t want to be a “super Christian adult.” I just want to be a soul winner for Jesus. After all, He’s done so much for me.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a list to begin and a prayer to say.