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What Are You Willing to Do?
I am sure that most of you are familiar with the Guinness Book of Records. I can remember flipping through the pages of the book in school and being amazed at the things people would do. Recently I read about a man in Malaysia who lived over two weeks in a glass cage along with 2,000 scorpions “to keep him company.” The man reported that, on average, he was stung two or three times a day but still “managed a good night’s sleep” each evening. It is amazing what some people will do to get their name in the record book!
What are you willing to do? What would you do to get your name in the Guinness Book of Records? Sleep with scorpions? A more important question is what are you willing to do to get your name in the Book of Life?
The Bible contains accounts of many amazing things that righteous people were willing to do to be pleasing to God. Noah built a huge boat. Abraham was willing to sacrifice his only son. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego walked on fire. Daniel slept with the lions. Read about all that Paul was willing to endure (2 Cor 12:22-33). “Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword” (Heb 11:36-37).
The Bible also contains many accounts of what we would probably consider less amazing things that some faithful people were willing to do to have their names recorded by God. In Matthew 25:34-40 Jesus welcomes those who fed the hungry, gave drink to the thirsty, took in strangers, clothed the naked, and visited the sick and those in prison.
What are you willing to do for the Lord? Are you willing to visit the needy and keep yourself unspotted from the world (James 1:27)? It may take some of your time and lead to persecution from the world. Is God worth it to you?
What if somehow you do get your name in Guinness for some amazing thing you do - what difference will it make on the Day of Judgment? That is not the book God will be using. “For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Matt 16:24).
What are you willing to do to save your soul? Are you doing it?
