LOOKING ON OR LOOKING OUT?
If we were in a position to save a human life, would we do it? I am sure most people would SAY they would at least do something. A young lady named Rosina Hernandez attended a rock concert while in college. During the concert, a young man was brutally beaten by another while everyone in the area stood by and watched, including Rosina. Not wanting to get involved, not one of those witnesses lifted a single finger to stop the assault. To Rosina’s surprise, the young man died as a result of his injuries the very next day. Rosina and all who witnessed the attack did nothing to help and keep that young man from losing his life.
Rosina could never forget the incident or how poorly she responded, and so she made a vow that day. Should she ever be in a position to help someone in need, she would not let that opportunity pass her by. She vowed she would do something, anything she could to help and preserve life. Well, years later, Rosina had that opportunity. While driving the streets of Miami on a rainy day, Rosina saw a car ahead of her begin skidding and plunge into the Biscayne Bay. With nothing but the tail end of the car sticking out of the water, a woman suddenly broke the surface shouting for someone to help her husband who was trapped inside.
Rosina did not hesitate, and jumped into the water doing all she could to free the trapped man. Being unsuccessful, she broke the surface of the water to gain her breath and found a number of people standing on the causeway looking upon as the car sank, watching these events unfold. Rosina screamed at those bystanders, begging for their help to save the man dying in the car. One man finally started to help, followed shortly after by another. Together the they were able to break the safety glass and drag the drowning man out. They got him out just in time, a few minutes later and the story would have had a more tragic ending.
The woman whose husband was just saved, thanked Rosina for her part and for acting so swiftly. Rosina was overjoyed, riding an emotional high that lasted for weeks. She made good on her promise to act as she had opportunity to save a human life.
Two things I want us to consider from this story…
This first one is, are we making good on our promises or the commitments we have made, especially the ones made to God? Are we doing our best to see to it that we follow through on the vows we make to or before our Creator? Have we come before God in prayer, with penitent hearts, seeking forgiveness, and vocalizing our commitment to change? How has that vow held up? Have we made those changes? Have we kept from those sins? Or have we failed to take that vow as seriously as we should because God is so loving and so patient? I am ashamed to say that I have been there. Keeping certain commitments, while failing to hold fast to others, but that is not who I wanted to be, and if you have been or are currently there, that is not who we have to remain. Listen to the words recorded for us in Ecclesiastes 5:5 and let this verse come to mind the next time we want to break a vow made before our God.
Ecclesiastes 5:4-5—
4 When you vow a vow to God, do not delay paying it, for he has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you vow. 5 It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay.
The second thing for us to consider is this: Are we as concerned with the preservation of souls as some people are with the preservation of life? It is a noble thing to do all that we can to help a person in need and preserve this life. But it is a far greater thing to do all that we can to help a soul in need and help them reach eternal life. We know that the way that leads to destruction is broad and easy, and we know that there are MANY on that path because the Scriptures reveal it to us. Knowing this, it is more likely that those we come in contact with in the world, the grocery store worker, the server, our neighbors, are lost headed towards destruction. They are going to be forever separated from God, but we can change that.
Doctors go to school for years, they pay thousands of dollars to learn how to help save a physical life. And they could do everything in their power, use every bit of knowledge they received while chasing such a prestigious education, and still lose that patient. Why? Because God is in control of who lives and who dies, and He can use the best or the worst doctor to accomplish His will. If we get nothing else from this article let us remember this: It is not going to take us years nor is it going to cost us anything but time and commitment to learn what God has revealed to man so we know how to help lost souls be saved. Instead of focusing so much on how great or poor of an evangelist we believe ourselves to be, let us remember that it is the word of God that saves, not the words of you, me or anyone else. God is looking for servants willing to dive into the water with His unbreakable lifeline to save drowning souls. Are we looking on as souls drown or looking out for ones to save?