Dare 2 Share - Pooh: "Did you fall into the river, Eeyore?"
Eeyore: "Silly of me, wasn't it?"
Pooh: "Is the river uncomfortable this morning?"
Eeyore: "Well, yes, the dampness you know."
Pooh: "You really ought to be more careful!"
Eeyore: "Thanks for the advice."
Pooh: "I think you're sinking."
Eeyore: "Pooh, if it's not too much trouble, would you mind rescuing me?"
The key phrase in this exchange is- “if it’s not too much trouble”. Pooh obviously was aware of Eeyore’s predicament, but apparently he didn’t care quite enough to take some needed action steps.
How many churches, youth groups, and individual Christians have what I would call ‘Pooh-itis’?
Pooh-it is (poo-eye-tis): adjective
The mental state of being knowledgeable regarding the needs of people, yet hesitant to assist in any way.
There are a gigantic, huge, enormous number of people who right at this moment destined to spend an eternity in hell. In fact, they are some of your friends, family, classmates, and co-workers. They are people with whom you have conversations with everyday.
Oh we are great at going to conferences, forming committees, putting together action plans, and engaging in wishful thinking…but the bottom line is that people aren’t getting saved! We Christians are long on preparation and short on performance.
To put it another way, the scenario looks something like this:
Believer: "Are you on the path to hell, my friend?"
Unbeliever: "Silly of me, isn’t it?"
Believer: "Is the path uncomfortable?"
Unbeliever: "Well, yes, the guilt you know."
Believer: "You really should have been more careful!"
Unbeliever: "Thanks for the advice."
Believer: "I think you're going to end up in hell."
Unbeliever: "Christian, if it's not too much trouble, would you mind rescuing me?"
Isn’t that really what people are saying on the inside? There is an epidemic of spiritual cancer, and you are holding on to the only cure…are you just waiting around to be asked?
That’s not the way the Apostle looked at it:
For "Anyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"(Romans 10:13-15)
Paul knew that people were ‘stuck in the river’, but he didn’t beat around the Biblical bush- he went straight for the heart of the issue: heaven vs. hell- period.
Have you ever considered the possibility that the folks in your life who haven’t heard the gospel might not ever get the chance because you waited too long for the ‘right opportunity’? In God’s mind- every opportunity is the right one! There are Eeyores out there who will never ask to be rescued, but don’t use that as an excuse to not share your faith.
So let me propose a few remedies for Pooh-itis:
For churches/youth groups who have it- simple…give the gospel every week. Don’t surrender to the silly sentiment that says it should only be given at special occasions- are you kidding? You might have a student that shows up for one meeting and one meeting only- and that was your one shot Jack! Besides that, if you present the gospel every week, there’s a very good chance that the youth group will eventually catch on to the fact that seeing people come to Christ is a primary reason why youth groups/churches exist in the first place.
For people who have it- switch on your witnessing radar. Look for an opening to share Christ in any and all conversations. It’s really not as difficult as you might think.
Scared? Yep, me too. But I’m actually more afraid of disappointing my heavenly Father, who placed me in that relationship to begin with! It’s all a matter of perspective.
So what are you waiting for? Jump in the river and get your beautiful feet wet!
Questions:
1) When is the last time you shared Christ?
2) What are your biggest fears when sharing your faith?
3) On a scale of 1-10, how bad is your ‘Pooh-itis’?
Memory Verse:
For preaching the Good News is not something I can boast about. I am compelled by God to do it. How terrible for me if I didn't do it! (I Corinthians 9:16)
