Premature Desperation

Many people in the Twin Cities area and northwestern Wisconsin followed the story of an autistic man lost after straying from a camp between Grantsburg and Trade River, Wisconsin. It was part of our discussion at a family graduation Saturday afternoon. Despite the searching of hundreds of people, the man was not found until a week later, still alive. That was Sunday evening. He is now recovering. We may never know his adventures of that week.

Read more at http://www.burnettcountysentinel.com/ (still a featured story as of this writing) or http://www.twincities.com/ci_9669321

Part of the drama of the story is that there was discussion to call off the large-scale search after Sunday's efforts. He was found Sunday evening. I understand some of the difficulty in those decisions. And I probably would have supported any decision to continue or discontinue the large search efforts. I understand they may have had some feelings of desperation and hopelessness.

But the whole situation got me thinking (a dangerous thing). I have been with extended family five of the last six weekends for graduation parties. If I am truthful, I have to admit that in many cases I have given up hope for them. And quite possibly, I just don't care enough. Let me elaborate.

In most parts of the United States, and certainly in this area, a person can gain some knowledge about Christianity quite easily. There are Bible-believing congregations and fellowships scattered all over. Radio and TV and the Internet give us 24-hour-per-day teachings and encouragement. Theoretically, most of us have at least one person we can look to as a representative of Christ for us. I know I, and others, misrepresent him terribly at times. And the message presented does not always appear to be relevant. But those issues are for another blog article or two someday. But the point is that for most of my readers, the gospel, the good news, is accessible.

Still many reject it. God in his wisdom and love wants relationships built on love and commitment, not coercion. So he lets us choose. We can live in a committed relationship with him, or choose a life separated from his love and power and goodness. And that choice will follow us after death. We will be with him or separated from him. It is our choice.

I know that God can see people's hearts far better than I. But it appears many of the people I know have little interest in a life devoted to God and his purposes. There are numerous reasons for that, which I won't get into at this time. Without that relationship, they will have a very limited experience of the love and power of God working in them and through them to touch the lives of others.

It is easy to conclude people will never change. It is easy to assume they have no desire for change. But assumptions can often be wrong.

I admit I have often become complacent with people's choices and kept silent in both words and actions. Some would say that response is respectful. Some may say it is good Scandinavian behavior to be quiet. But the true motivators for us believers being silent may include things like lack of caring, lack of love, lack of mercy, fear of rejection, pride, fear of failure, insecurities about our communication skills, insecurities and guilt about past behavior, a lack of understanding of God's love and power available for them, and many more reasons. When it comes right down to it, many of us believers are quietly letting those around us suffer from a life without God, now and for eternity.

I believe in the prophetic and dreams and revelations. Some of the revelations with the most impact are the continuing revelations of what is inside us. Fortunately, God seems to space out those revelations over time as layers of our lives are revealed. Some of the revelations are good things we fail to see in ourselves as well.

Since some of my readers are family and friends and possibly coworkers, they are probably wondering what is next. I am wondering too. But I know I need to start caring more. Or, in some cases, I have been caring but I need to express that care more.

There has been some progress this week. Praying over the workplace led to a breakthrough in a frustrating phase of a work project. And one person nearby sold their home that had been on the market for months. Jesus taught that the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand, present with us. My prayer is that the power and love and grace of the Kingdom will be present in our lives in the coming days, starting with now.

As long as people are alive, let us not give up hope for them.