Some of you may be too young
to remember the Challenger space shuttle incident on January 28, 1986. “The
entire crew of seven was lost in the explosion 73 seconds into the launch.” I
remember watching it on television at school when it happened. I can’t recall
exactly how I felt as a child—though I can still vividly see it taking place in
my mind’s eye—but I recently read an article about someone who lived some thirty
years with guilt from it.
Ebeling did what he could to
warn others about the possible disaster ahead. He used science, theory, and
reason in trying to persuade others to listen, examine the facts, and take the
necessary precautions to ensure the safety of the crew, the shuttle, and
ultimately the program. Sadly, his words fell mostly onto deaf ears. With the
witness of four others, they became known at the time as “the five lepers.” Seven
souls went into eternity that day, and Ebeling said, “I think that was one of
the mistakes that God made. He shouldn’t have picked me for that job. I don’t
know.”
I wanted to use Ebeling’ story
to highlight another warning call. As Professing Christians—whether adults,
teens, or children—we should care enough about our neighbors to warn them about eternity. By sharing the Scriptures, teaching
and encouraging them to know Jesus Christ, we can hopefully help them escape
disaster in this life and in the next. We should do it because we care, because
we love God and love man. That’s what Ebeling did. He cared enough to do what
he could to warn others to make the right choice. That is all we can do.
Present the gospel and encourage others to make the right choice.
However, Ebeling’s words were
dismissed (or not heeded), disaster came, and he blamed himself. He asked God, “Why
me? You picked a loser.” Have you (or I) ever felt this way? After sharing the
Word of God with family, friends, etc., and doing everything imaginable to lead
them to Christ, we still saw/see their lives destroyed by sin or them leave
this world without a Saviour? Do we blame ourselves, as inadequate, witnessing
tools for God, wishing someone else (better, older, more spiritual) would have
been used instead of us? Is it our fault when someone rejects Christ? Ebeling
believed it was his fault, and so do some of us.
Thankfully—for Ebeling—he was
encouraged enough (after thirty years) that the disaster wasn’t his fault. He
had discovered the evidence and shared the warning, it simply wasn’t heeded or
accepted at the time. The same holds true for those who share the gospel of
Jesus Christ. We share it out of love, as a warning to all humanity, praying
that every soul will heed and accept the warning. Sometimes we see souls
converted, while other times they continue on the path to destruction.
So, as you walk as a Christian,
remember the words of Paul: “I am made all things to all men, that I might by
all means save some. I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the
increase.” [1 Corinthians 9:22; 1 Corinthians 3:6] We are responsible to share
words of wisdom, but what others do with it is between them and God. We should
not feel guilty if we have truly done our best for God. Although it isn’t
always easy—as in Ebeling’s story—when we see others get hurt in the process.
We must focus on doing all that we can humanly do, while trusting the Spirit of
God will perform the greater work inside every man.
