Questions on the Road | Previous Challenge Entry

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TITLE: Questions on the Road | Previous Challenge Entry
By Frankie Kemp
03/05/15
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This world is definitely a dangerous place, a dangerous and wildly beautiful place. I think we Christians often underestimate it—or we overestimate it, shrinking back in fear of the risks. Instead of looking at the landscape of our existence with clear eyes, clear heads, and clear hearts, we settle for chasing our own safe versions of what we think living ought to look like. We want to walk by faith, but sometimes I’m not so sure we know what that REALLY looks like in our own lives. We can definitely recognize it and appreciate it in the lives of others, but we’re not really sure we want THAT in our lives. What Tolkien’s Bilbo said to Frodo really is true, “It's a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don't keep your feet, there's no knowing where you might be swept off to.” BUT when you find yourself (either by your own choosing or because circumstances have forced you) on the road—you WILL end up walking by faith—and that is just what makes going worth all the risks.

One of the riskiest things that can happen to a Christian who finds himself or herself on the road, walking by faith to who-knows-where is to love the lost people who appear along the way. It might even be said that there is nothing quite as risky as loving a lost person. It’s easy to build relationships with our brothers and sisters in Christ—we share so much already! It’s not so easy to take the time to get to know someone outside the family. It’s scary business! We’re not even sure HOW we’re supposed to love them—we’re not even sure we’re supposed to. We might even be a little “stuck” in the mentality that avoiding all appearance of evil means avoiding people. We might even be convinced that holiness looks like staying safe behind our church walls, our prayer meetings, and our circles of believing friends. I’m not so sure. Jesus was/is HOLINESS in the flesh, and he WENT.

Definitely, it takes faith to take big risks—and I’m not talking about faith in your own abilities, your reasoning, your power, or your navigational skills. We need the kind of faith that trusts and obeys the leadership and lordship of Christ alone—faith and dependence on Christ for wisdom, discretion, and protection even. Without a doubt, a Christian must not love another person by participating in any activity that God has already instructed us we must not do. Definitely—we are IN the world, but we have to remember we are not OF the world.

Loving lost people is dangerous. You might be risking your own walk, you might be risking your reputation, and you’re definitely risking your heart. There’s nothing quite like that desperate feeling of pain that comes when you watch that person you love walking AWAY from Christ. In the end, maybe loving lost people is most risky because you know you have absolutely no control over another person’s choices.

Now, I want to ask the most sobering question of all. Who gets to decide? Who gets to decide when it’s worth it to risk loving another human being? How much is a life worth? Whose life is worth more—mine or that other person’s?

I know who has the answer to that question, and it’s not me. It’s the God-man who left the ninety-nine and went after ONE LOST SHEEP. ONE. And here is where I so desperately need faith in ALL of His promises. I am not Him. My spirit may be willing, but my flesh is WEAK. And most importantly, I cannot grant faith and repentance to the people I love—but He can. He can, and the power of His resurrection is my only hope on the road--and their only hope for joining me. I’m going to trust Him, and I’m just going to keep my appointments with people, always ready to give an answer for the hope that is in me.

Who’s willing to step out the door with me?

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