Jaquelle, The Firefighter ...

Yesterday, in Bible Study, we started a new study called The Way of the Master, an evangelical video course. It will be teaching us how to evangelize to our friends, family, and perfect strangers. It goes for eight weeks. Yesterday's video started with a true story. It goes like this ...

There was a fireman, who was charged with negligence on duty. Here's what happened: Apparently, the fire department got news of a fire in a family home. The fire fighters rushed over. A family of five (two parents and three young children) were trapped inside the house, the flames surrounding them. They had no way out. They needed rescuing. But our fireman (the one charged with negligence), remained in the fire truck. The reason: he wanted to test out a new CD player that he had purchased for the fire chief. He was oblivious to the family's screams as he listened to the CD player, sprawled in the back of the fire truck. The mother of the family, still holding the family baby, was engulfed by the flames. The fireman continued to ignore the father, who had the two little children clinging to his hands. "Help!" they yelled. The fireman ignored them. Then, the flames swallowed the father and the two children. The fireman had their blood on his hands. He could have saved them, but he didn't. When, he went to court, he encouraged the judge to keep in mind that he didn't save the family because he was testing out a gift for the fire chief.

What punishment would you give this fireman? 2 years? 10 years? 20 years? Capital punishment? Make sure you decide on what you think is a good punishment.

Because that fireman is me. That fireman is you. That fireman is all Christians who know people who are about to be engulfed by Hell's flames, but will not share the gospel. When we're before God, Who will be judging us, we may ask Him to keep in mind that we gave Him "the gift" of going to church faithfully every Sunday, or praying a lot. But He will say, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.'

This really convicted me, and I pray that it will convict you too, and encourage you to share the gospel with others. None of us are guaranteed another day on this Earth.