Ripples

A posterity shall serve Him. It will be recounted of the Lord to the next generation.

Psalm 22:30

Just as tossing a stone into a lake creates ripples to the shoreline, so our simple acts of witness produce results that extend to the return of Christ.

Early one Sunday morning, a young man dragged himself home from a night of partying. An instructor at Tampa’s Arthur Murray Studio, he was single, popular, and unhindered by morality. He collapsed into bed, setting his radio alarm for midafternoon. When the radio came on, he was jolted awake by the preaching of Donald Barnhouse, who was asking, “Suppose you were to die today and stand before God and He asked you, ‘What right do you have to enter into my heaven?’—what would you say?”

That’s the moment the Holy Spirit touched D. James Kennedy, who would go on to become one of America’s eminent pastors and teachers. At the time, however, no one knew the results of that broadcast. It was unknown to Dr. Barnhouse, to the producers of the show, or to the supporters who had contributed funds to put it on the air. Only heaven will tabulate the full outcome.

You’re doing more good than you know. Don’t underestimate the handful of stones you’re throwing into the pond whenever you say a word for Christ.

Lord, lay some soul upon my heart and love that soul through me.

LEON TUCKER