A young man in the Plymouth Brethren assembly in which my dad was converted had purchased an automobile. That was a rarity in Glasgow, one of the poorest cities in the western world, mired in the depths of the great depression. So he was pretty proud of himself.
His fatal mistake occurred when he decided to impress one of the elders by taking him out for a drive. Naturally, he drove the car as fast as he could. When the drive was over, he turned eagerly to the elder and asked what he thought. The older man fixed a steely gaze upon him, and spoke these words: “Young man, I think you’re tempting the Lord.”
The young man quickly repented of his recklessness and, for all I know, sold the car on the spot. In those days, after all, elders were elders. I’m not sure the episode had a long-term effect on my dad, though, who delighted in driving fast cars (yet never had an accident). But he did take pains to tell me the story as I was learning to drive.
What’s my point?
This past year, Elaine and I have tried to steer a path, keeping in mind two things. First, we have honoured all restrictions and been pretty careful. Second, as restrictions lifted, we refused to isolate ourselves in our home and back away from the work of the kingdom. Thankfully, it’s been possible to do an enormous amount of work without ever having to leave the house. But when churches re-opened in Canada, and we needed to travel to the UK to visit the churches (and our grandkids), we were faced with a choice. To protect ourselves would mean not serving the call. People are the source of the danger, yet to serve people at some point you have to be with them.
So we bought the automobile, but decided to drive it at a safe speed.
Eventually, it caught up with us. Before our government was organized enough to offer either of us a booster shot, our immunity gave out and I am writing this sitting in isolation, but grateful our symptoms aren’t worse. In a small way, it’s a cost of serving the Lord.
Our highest goal in life as Christians is not self-protection. It’s walking in the way of the cross, of serving others. Many believers over the centuries have given their lives on that basis. Missionaries left for foreign countries taking their coffins with them. That doesn’t exactly match up with western megachurch culture today.
So what do we do? We can be foolishly arrogant, deciding it’s God’s job to protect us, regardless of how irresponsible our behaviour is. Or we can be disappointingly self-centred, putting our own interests ahead of any risk God may call us to take. I think there’s a better way. As we face yet another apparent surge in this Biblical-type plague, let’s avoid judging others, while seeking the Lord for what he is calling us to do.
And by God’s grace, as the Queen reminded us last year, we’ll all meet on the other side.
CONSIDER PARTNERING WITH DAVID & ELAINE CAMPBELL IN HELPING TO SUSTAIN THEIR ACTIVE MINISTRY.
AWAKENING MINISTRIES // FOUNDATION of FAITH Project
Foundation of Faith Project is strengthening generations in faith and bringing beautiful changes to the communities around them. Through teaching, mentoring and coaching, many are finding out who they are and who they are destined to be. They are bringing more to their world. David Campbell is the key leader in this initiative and you can support him financially directly through Awakening Ministries.
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