Come on Church, BE PREPARED!

As an Eagle Scout I learned early on the importance of  the Boy Scout Motto "Be Prepared!" The Scout motto means that you are always ready to do what is necessary to help others. It also means you are ready, willing, and able to do what is necessary in any situation that comes along. 

To enable that to happen, you educate yourself and learn about the situations in which you may find yourself. For instance, when packing your gear for a particular camp outing, you want to make sure you know your surrounding environment and you think ahead by preparing a list of items that you will need and ensuring that you pack them. Being prepared helps you to avoid those possible pitfalls that might happen. It doesn't ensure that you will never encounter something you are totally unprepared for, but it sure does lessen the chances. 

Lately, my heart grows concerned for what seems a lack of preparation by Christians to "Be Prepared." What I mean is this, are we as followers of Christ ready to do what is necessary to help others. Are we prepared to love one another as Christ commanded or even to love our enemies as we read in Luke 6:35, "But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back." Are we prepared to love like that? Am I prepared to love like that?

While I am on the subject of "being prepared," It frustrates me when I am around other Christians and someone is asked to share their favorite scripture verse and they respond along the lines, "well now you put me on the spot" or "does John 3:16 count."

Let me address the latter first. Yes, John 3:16 counts. You bet your sweet bippy it does! It's what the good news of Jesus Christ is all about. God Loves You. God died for your sins. Believe in Him and you will be saved. But let me add that if you have been a Christian for say longer than say 6 months, you ought to have a 2nd verse tucked away in that memory bank of yours. After all Psalm 119:11 says to "hide the word in your heart so that you might not sin against God." Come on Christians we can do better than that!

Now, to address the first response I mentioned, that of "being put on the spot." You shouldn't be "put on the spot" if you have prepared yourself. And why should you be prepared you ask? Because God's word specifically tells us in 1 Peter 3:15, "But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have." 

Here's a revelation for so many of us. We do not need the most glorified testimony in the world's eyes to give a reason for the hope we have. We simply talk about our experience with Christ and the scriptures he has taught us. Yes, I was never on drugs, I never had a miraculous healing, I never encountered Christ on the road to Damascus (Ohio, East of Alliance that is, not Syria.) But you know what, I have experienced him in my life and I have memorized many verses so when given the opportunity I can share one of those verses with someone else. And do you know what the scripture says about that? In Isaiah 55:11 it says "the word of God does not return void. He will accomplish what he desires to achieve the purpose for which He sent it." 

That means when asked to share your favorite verse, Yes John 3:16 is a great verse, but what else has God given you to accomplish his purpose. Challenge yourself to memorize a new verse every so often. At least a couple a year, please.

By the way, when I was in scouting my Scoutmaster would always try to surprise us at the least expected moment as he shouted, "are you prepared?" Us Boy Scouts would respond shouting at the top of our lungs, "we are prepared!" I hope the next time you are given the opportunity to share your favorite verse or your reason for hope, you will have prepared yourself? 

Come on Church, BE PREPARED!