Sledding, Stakes, and Apologetics

In one of the recent snowfalls my area has had, we went sledding. 

If you're from North Carolina, you probably know that this is somewhat of a rare occurrence. I didn't even know we owned a sled, since we hardly ever got to use it—in past years, we were always too busy with stomping around in the white stuff to go out and sled, and the last time I actually went sledding was when we lived out in the country when I was 5. So, I have very little experience with sledding, and this was an adventure. 

On the whole, it went quite well. My mom pulled us across the field, and since it was so icy our speeds got pretty high. But the hill we'd chosen was not only quite steep, but it ended by going uphill instead of flattening out. I realized this once I was already in motion, and—since I was legitimately afraid that this wouldn't end well—decided to roll off the sled once it got to the bottom, rather than risk a fractured spine from whiplash. 

It was really fun. But I was a little surprised at how scared I was once I started down the slope. After all, I'd been convinced that I was a thrill-seeker. I love roller coasters, the faster and more rattly the better. Ropes courses are amazingly fun for me, and I've climbed nearly every tree I see. 

But sledding, apparently, had conquered me. 

I'm pretty sure the answer lies in the stakes. I've never been one to put myself at risk of physical harm, no matter how risky those things I named may seem. Roller coasters have safety measures in place in case they fail; ropes courses always harness you in; with tree climbing, the fall is at such low heights that hurting yourself is rare. In other words, the risk is low, or the stakes of failing are low. But, on that sled, I was convinced that there was a sizeable chance that I'd break my neck. 

It's the same with evangelism. When you talk to someone about Christianity, the risk is high—it feels impossible that we'll ever make a difference in anyone's life, let alone someone who's dead-set against our way of living—but the stakes are even higher. Who are we to determine life or death? Because that's what the stakes of evangelism are. James 5:19-20 says, "My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins."

Though this verse specifically deals with a wandering believer, it still applies to bringing lost souls into the fold for the first time. Successful evangelism saves people's souls from death. Intimidating? 

The stakes make us reluctant to meddle. What if I say the wrong thing? What if I just make them look down on Christians more? What if I do more harm than good? But, by not "meddling", we doom the people we would have helped to certain death, because how are they to believe in him of who they have never heard? 

The point is, doing something to further the kingdom of God is often better than doing nothing. If you make the effort to step outside your comfort zone, then God will bless that. But, in the Spirit, you do have to make the effort.

That's not a guarantee that you'll be successful. You can't carefully craft the perfect argument to bring someone to faith; if you could, there would be no non-Christians. But the Holy Spirit is inside all who call Jesus Lord and do his will, and in the Spirit—only in the Spirit—our faltering words might be transformed for God's glory.