George Washington is sometimes referred to as the father of our country. Though he was born into a family just a step below nobility and could have lived an easy life, he worked first as a surveyor, was appointed as a military ambassador at the age of 21, and learned as he rose through the ranks. He took a stand against what had become tyrannical British governmental rule; suffered a brutal and desperate winter at Valley Forge; endured much hardship as he led troops across the Delaware, pulling off a surprise attack and victory at Trenton; and eventually became the first president of the United States of America. It was a post he did not seek nor  want. He wasn’t seeking fame. He was just doing what he considered to be his duty. He put his life at risk for the sake of opening the door of freedom to a new nation. If we end up standing next to G.W. at judgment, how do we compare to that kind of courage?

We have a responsibility to welcome. We also have a responsibility to warn.

When I thought a loved one was in danger, I yelled at the top of my lungs. I didn’t want him to die. I knew I was too weak to help, but at least I could call his name to give him an idea of where safety was despite the dark.

The door was the one thing between Pat and me and the unknown. We were glad it was there, but alarmed that people we loved were on the other side. Whether we needed to protect them or they needed to protect us wasn’t something to which we gave much consideration. We just knew separation was scary.

Ezekiel 3:18-21 tells us the following: When I say to a wicked person, ‘You will surely die,’ and you do not warn them or speak out to dissuade them from their evil ways in order to save their life, that wicked person will die for their sin, and I will hold you accountable for their blood. But if you do warn the wicked person and they do not turn from their wickedness or from their evil ways, they will die for their sin; but you will have saved yourself. “Again, when a righteous person turns from their righteousness and does evil, and I put a stumbling block before them, they will die. Since you did not warn them, they will die for their sin. The righteous things that person did will not be remembered, and I will hold you accountable for their blood. But if you do warn the righteous person not to sin and they do not sin, they will surely live because they took warning, and you will have saved yourself.”

Now we all agree that standing at the church door and screaming frantically to passersby to come in before it’s too late is not an effective way to influence others in heaven’s direction except for several of a select few who are probably on certain types of medication. However, we need to have that passionate of a drive about the gospel. There are folks who are doing a pretty impressive 5k Open Water Swim to the lake of fire. Is there some way we can throw them a life jacket without knocking them under? I don’t have any fool-proof answers, and there are people with more knowledge than I have who have written plenty of books and given enough seminars on the subject to provide us all with some ideas. In fact, this is where Christians find themselves conflicted. What is the best way to extend Christ’s invitation? Do we keep it happy and easy and fun? Do we just put it out there, hell fire and all? Part of our preferences come from our own personality, some stem from cultural norms, and, if we’re willing to admit it, some is due to our belief about how long we have until the end. I tend to be one way one day and another the next. What about you?

What I do know is that we need to be in emergency mode about now. Time is short. Go ahead. Be friendly. Invite your un-churched neighbor to do un-churchy stuff. Be approachable. All good. But one of those times, that neighbor needs to hear the truth about Jesus, and they need to hear it before it’s too late. They need to receive information about God’s love, but also about His expectations. Standing at the door, making friends, and smiling at them as they keep swimming the hot water 5k isn’t exactly neighborly. We need to stand at the door and give them an idea where safety is despite the dark. We need to stand at the door and tell the truth (the whole truth and nothing but the truth). Our job as a door keeper is to hold the door open! Don’t make it any harder than necessary to get in. And . . . invite them back for happy hour!

Images: Pexels.com