Christianity Oasis Forum

[Lionhearted]

hello all:

Once upon a time there was a Christian who ministered in a great country. It was not an easy country in which to minister. The people were stubborn and uncaring, like their fathers before them. They did not like to talk about God. They would not listen to the Christian, and they were embarrassed to be around him. For years the Christian prayed for them and did what he could for them, just as his father before him had done. How I hate to minister this way, he thought. It takes years of work to see any results at all.

Over time, the people began to change. The Christian had talked with them and prayed for them for so long that they were no longer uncomfortable around him. They began to think about God; they even talked about Him. They had many questions and complaints, but the Christian handled them as best he could. "How I hate these endless questions and complaints," he grumbled. "How long will I have to deal with all these problems before I can tell them what they really need to hear?"

Finally, the people were ready. Everywhere the Christian looked, people seemed willing--even eager--to hear about the gospel. The Christian could tell them what was really important. They listened, and they believed him, and they apologized for their stubbornness and apathy. Everywhere, people began to change. "Now this is what I have waited for!" the Christian cried. "The great harvest has come, and God has let me taste the fruit of my labour."

One day, the Christian met a man whose life had not changed. The man did not like the Christian, and he did not want to listen to him. He had many difficult questions. Why waste my time on this person? the Christian thought. It will take so long to answer all of his questions, and there are so many people who are ready to listen to me now. So the Christian decided then and there that he would no longer answer questions or hear complaints. He would only talk to people who were ready to respond, "After all," he reasoned, "changing lives is the important thing, and every day I can see a life change."

But over time, the Christian found fewer and fewer people who seemed willing to listen to him. People began to have more questions, even harder than before. "I must not be distracted," he insisted, and he continued to look for those who were ready.

One day, the Christian could find no one at all who would listen to him. These people's hearts have grown cold, he thought. These are surely the end times. I must talk to anyone else who is ready without delay. The Christian heard of a country far away where the people were always willing to listen. If that is where people are ready, then that is where I will go.

So the Christian loaded up his car and rolled away ... leaving his own country behind.

~~~~~~~

Jesus told His disciples that one day, in heaven, both the sower and the reaper would "be glad together." But what if the sower decides not to sow? What if he decides to sit and watch? What if he decides that he would really rather harvest? What if the sower is unwilling to do the exhausting, unrewarded, behind-the-scenes work of preparing for the harvest?

What if the sower decides that harvesting is the only worthy form of labour? What if the harvester, by elevating the importance of his own role, devalues the role of the sower until no one can be found who will fill that second-rate role?

Answer: There will be one last harvest ... then there will be famine.

my heart breaks and i weep for the spiritual famine that we are on the brink of, right here in the great North America ...