About 15 years ago, I played racquetball 3 or 4 times a week... I mean I loved it! I was actually racquetball champion at the Mtn Home Racquet Club one year in a row back in the 90s... (admittedly, I beat some guy with a bad toupee in the semis and another dude who was 5 feet tall and 4 feet wide - but uncannily quick - to win the title)
anyhow, I learned a lesson from r-ball... (ok, two lessons: the first was to NOT wear a rug during strenuous physical activity)
I learned not to give up on a ball that I thought I couldn't get to... you see, God blessed me with a sort of long frame... I'm about 6'3" with a similar wingspan, and I learned that I could get to a lot more balls than I imagined... I just had to not give up and... I had to stretch to reach 'em...
I am just beginning to understand how that lesson ('reach and stretch', NOT 'lose the rug') applies to ministry...
Our number one priority in life is to reach others for Christ... to lift Him up so He can draw people to Himself... so how do we reach?
some of us are inviters. and that's a wonderful way to reach people... I heard last night of a young lady who invited a young man to her youth group all through high school - every week - until he finally said yes.... he is now a full time youth pastor serving about 40 kiddos at a local church... so inviting is one very good strategy...
others of us are examplers. and that is a great way to reach people as well... not as in-your-face as the inviter, but very effective... just living Jesus in front of our peers...
still more of us are wonderers and wanderers... not really sure how to reach, and not real settled on our own walk...
the point is (and, yes, I do have one): while Jesus' message NEVER changes, our methods must!
so, just like reaching a well-placed shot on the racquetball court requires stretching, so does ministry!
you gotta stretch to reach!
So let me challenge us to apply this to ourselves... today, I encourage us to intentionally try to stretch ourselves to reach someone for Him.
Show kindness to someone you hadn't planned to... ask someone to pray with you... share your testimony with a co-worker or class mate...
stretch!
I promise - better yet, He promises - that He will bless our efforts....
God Bless!
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