As Memorial Day is coming upon us, it reminds me of an article that I read many years back:

Growing up in Bay Shore, NY, Private First Class Jacob S. Fletcher dreamed of serving his country. He always wanted to be a soldier. He always had that kind of passion in him, and he wanted to be that kind of man. The death of a friend in the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks sealed the decision. He enlisted in the Army, becoming one of the first soldiers to parachute into Iraq. Fletcher died on November 13, 2003, at the age of 28 when explosives struck a bus he was on in Iraq. A family friend said: “He was making a difference in Iraq. He felt that he was helping the women and children and that meant very much to him. It sustained him.”

 

What you notice in the story is that there was a major event that personally affected this man’s life that caused him to take action. He sacrificed his time and effort and ultimately his life for a great cause–for the welfare and benefit of the nation and its citizens. And just like a life-changing event sprung him into action, we who have believed upon Jesus Christ have had just such a life-changing event, and it ought to spring us into action as well.

 

We have been saved and this life-changing event ought to cause us to go out into the harvest and give of our lives in saving people from eternal death by sharing the good news. Yes it is uncomfortable. Yes it is a sacrifice. But there is no greater cause on earth than this.

Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” (Matthew 9:37-38, ESV)