A GREAT WORK

I wanted to take this opportunity to thank the five young people who went on the trip to Cochran last week. These young men and women: Tyler Christensen, Walter King, Kieanna Knight, Andy Powell, & Tabitha Sharit, are to be commended for their willingness to sacrifice some of their summer and their desire to share the gospel with others. They knocked on the doors of about 200 homes, inviting them to the gospel meeting. They also gave a copy of the DVD “Searching for Truth” to each home. They took names and addresses of those who showed some interest for the Cochran congregation to follow up. All of this was done in 90 and 100 degree weather without complaint. The congregation here at St. Mary’s should consider ourselves blessed to have these fine young people in our midst.

“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,20 “teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen” (Matthew 28:19-20). While Jesus is speaking directly in this passage to His apostles, He is urging all Christians of every age to be busy in spreading the gospel to the world around us. This was accomplished to some degree by these young people last weekend.
As I stated before, they were willing to sacrifice a part of their summer. How many times, when asked to participate in a work of the church, have you responded, “I am too busy,” or “I just don’t have the time?” Sometimes we just need to make a sacrifice and make the time to do a good work.

This work was done in very hot and humid conditions. On Friday afternoon, while we were out we drove by a thermometer that read 102 degrees. In addition, the vehicle they were using did not have air conditioning (I think that was the case). When the group I was with finished walking a few blocks, we were able to go back and get in an air conditioned vehicle. These young people walked several blocks in the heat and their relief was to climb into a vehicle that was not much, if any, cooler.

We also see their willingness to step out of their comfort zone. This was a first for most, if not all, of these young people. It is not easy to walk through a neighborhood, knocking on doors, and talking to complete strangers. Most of us have a hard enough time talking to people we know about the gospel. I am sure they were a little nervous when they started, but they went ahead and did it anyway. How often do we miss an opportunity to share the gospel with someone because it would cause us to step out of our comfort zone?

“Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity” (1 Timothy 4:12). There is no doubt these young people were an example to us all in this effort.
--Lamar