Encouragement

A JOURNALIST GIVES THE FULL SCOOP

by Christian Belyea
08/04/18
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     In the news-writing world, the motto is “If it bleeds, it leads.”  So, there is an innate fascination among folks to gorge on gore.  To stuff their bellies with bad news, so to speak.  That is also why so many people slow down on the streets to stare at the carnage of a car crash.  Again, human nature.  Sadly, the “good news” is relegated to the back sections of newspapers and the nightly news.  And yet that is where God is revealing Himself the most, hard at work on the human heart with feel good news.  News about the good things He has going on in this woeful, wounded world of ours. 

     But pitifully, many people don’t want the good news because good news reminds them there is a Redeemer they aren’t right with.  They want to live their own lives independent of God.  In other words, they want to be their own gods.  Hence, good news convicts them that there is a God they will have to give an account to one day.  And they don’t want to be reminded of that.  It’s sort of like the ostrich effect: They keep their heads in the sand, so they won’t see what they don’t want to see.  For as the Bible states: “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:31).  That’s why most news seekers won’t search out the good news.  That’s my opinion anyway, and I’ve been a journalist for many moons.

     Anyway, this same principle is at work when we profess the Gospel.  What seems like blissful news to us believers becomes bad news for many non-believers who, as I said, want to live life without the LORD.  But true believers must keep on telling non-believers anyway, because these souls—some of whom are truly wonderful people—are at stake.  And so, true believers give themselves over to sharing that Good News.  Why?  Because we love the lost as God loves them, for we know that the Gospel is the Greatest News out there.  Not only is it the greatest news out there, it is also life saving news!  We’re talking about eternity here! 

     So, the Good News must be told regardless of the reaction to it.  Believe me, many of them might be malicious to us at the moment for sharing it with them, but one day, prayerfully, some of them will fall down at our feet to say thank you for sharing that “token” of God’s affection with me so long ago.  And so, we tirelessly tread some treacherous trails to tell people how much Jesus loves them.  If we aren’t doing that, some one or some thing is deterring us from witnessing to lost souls as Christ commanded us to do (Mark 16:15).  It is called working with God, and that is what God wants—to team up with us to turn folks on to the truth.

     And that truth is that God loves them.  He died for them.  And He wants to rescue them. 

     To motivate us to do it more, we must ask God to send them our way.  And He will.  He does.  And when He does, we pray inwardly for the right words…at the right moment…to tell these people that God loves them with all His heart.  And sometimes that is all they need to hear.  Sure, some of them might march off all miffed at us…but a seed has been planted.  Now it’s up to God to do His part.  Also, we don’t have to worry about making cold calls like tiresome telemarketers.  Working with God is so much easier than that.  As someone once said, when God has His lasso around someone, He will often bring that someone into our lives.  He will either do that, or He will ensure that our paths cross.  That’s right.  He will be bumping the lost into us believers everywhere they go.  I’ve experienced it.  I know… 

     So, we must not dare let the devil drag us down through fear of folk’s reactions to the Good News.  For even as we speak, God is hammering away at our own hearts to prepare us to be the vessels through which these folks feel God’s fantastic love for them.  That He doesn’t want to judge them.  And that He wants to woo them all forever.  And so, when many people hear that Good News they do respond…They do receive Jesus, just as we did, sooner or later, and they no longer live lives of quiet desperation, but lives of deep peace and restoration.

     So, let’s not fret, my friends, when it comes to sharing the sure-fire way into God’s heavenly heart…a heart that is so heavy from longing for so many lost loved ones.  Yup.  God wants to share eternity with every one of them.  And it’s up to us to let ‘em know that.  Yes, eternal life and bliss can be theirs, too, if we dare to share the Good News with whomever the Spirit is whispering us to do so from within.  And won’t it be so wonderful one day to hear Jesus say, “Thanks for telling so-and-so about Me, so I could share eternity with them too.  Well done, good and faithful servant!” 

     I know I want to hear that.  So, as a journalist, my scoop is the greatest News story ever!  All facts.  No fiction.  And I try to share that scoop whenever Jesus moves me to do so.  And who knows…God seems to redeem the most unlikely people, doesn’t He…?

     God bless!!!