“Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.” Galatians 6:1
“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, 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.” Mt. 28:19-20
“Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.” James 5:19-20
Surely I win the award for the adult who has been told more times than any adult through her adult life that her shoelaces are untied. Why? For two reasons. First, I sometimes don’t tie my shoelaces and am perfectly comfortable with that and have learned to walk carefully and safely as such. Second, because there are kind people who care enough to tell me my shoelaces are untied because they want to warn me I may fall and hurt myself. These kind and caring people don’t even hesitate to tell me. They sincerely care.
Now let me tell you something totally tragic. If I counted how many people have told me my shoelaces are untied and compared this with how many people I know who are sharing the message of the Gospel of the Kingdom of God, that the only way to have an everlasting relationship with God is through God’s forgiveness by God’s grace in God’s love by God’s mercy as God’s gift alone through our repentance and believing Jesus Christ is Lord and died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins, and that we who call Jesus Lord need to live our lives accordingly bearing the fruits in our lives of genuine faith in Christ as Lord, you might be astonished. There is no comparison.
For I believe far more people are warning other people about their shoelaces being untied, about traffic jams if they drive a certain route home, about upcoming thunderstorms, about football opponents, about robbers found in their neighborhoods, etc., to help others avoid falling into some sort of problem or trouble or loss in this earthly life, than there are people lovingly, courageously, boldly helping people to keep from falling into forever separation from God and eternal torment in hell and the lake of fire by sharing with them the Gospel message AND who lovingly, courageously, boldly help people who believe in the Lord but have turned away from Him temporarily to repent and turn back to Him by telling them the truth in love as the Spirit of God leads them to do.
It’s far easier, and comfortable, and appealing to tell a friend or stranger, a family member or co-worker, a teammate or classmate, etc., that his or her shoelaces are untied, isn’t it, than to take the risk of the hatred and rejection and persecution and loss of relationship that could come when we share with someone about the Lord Jesus Christ? But if we care enough about people to help them keep from falling on the sidewalk due to an untied shoelace, should we not care enough about others to help keep them from spending eternity in torturous torment forever apart from God?
Please be courageous, my friend. Please be bold, my friend. Please love and honor the Lord, and love others, by telling them the Truth about the Lord Jesus Christ. That He is the only way to a forever relationship with God almighty! Nothing wrong with telling people their shoelaces are untied, but let’s get our priorities in order. As the Spirit of God leads us, and equips us with the love and boldness, with His Word and the words and power, let us go out and do the job Christ’s followers are commissioned to do. Help others to find and forever follow the Lord!