At a camp during the Summer of 2000, youth from all over the state came together to meet God. They came for different reasons and got different results. I, however, was changed.
My counselor, Miss Tammy, was the most on-fire, hyped-up Christian I had ever seen. And she loved us enough to hurt our feelings.
Toward the end of the week, the group of us were taken outside where we sat on the grass as she poured out her heart to us. Her fire for God couldn't have shone brighter than through her display of love that day.
She looked around at a dozen or so in our group. We stared and smiled back at her, unknowingly.
Miss Tammy started off by saying, "I love you guys. All of you."
At any other time, the youth in my group would've smiled and that warm fuzzy feeling would've filled each of us.
But that look in her eyes sent our hearts to our feet. We knew something was coming.
Her penetrating gaze held each of our eyes so intensly that none of us could help bt look away. Tears came to her eyes as she explained, "I have been with you guys for almost a week now. And I love you all, but that love is the thing that motivates me now to do what I'm about to do." We all looked down, afraid of what she would say.
"If you are all truly Christians, why don't I see the fruit?! In our worship rallies, you should be singing your hearts out! Chirstans have the most right to be the happiest people alive, yet why aren't you?! I love you all, and I'm scared for you. I know that if you leave this camp, and you're not saved, that this might be the last chance you get. I'm scared that you'll die without Christ."
She had tears in her eyes and though her hands were shaking, her voice was steady and loud. We all felt the impact of her words.
I need to know that all of you are saved. And if you're not, then I will do everything that I can to make sure that you do not leave this place without the assurance of salvation!
She then looked at each of us straight in the eye one by one, and posed a question, "Are you certain that you have Jesus Christ as Lord of your life, and are yousure you're going to heaven?"
Going around, each person was forced to look deep within and pull out their proclamation of personal faith. This was the point for me where my faith was established as My faith and not my parents'. This was something that is dearer to me than life. This Jesus, my Jesus, made life worth living. And even if everyone who is anyone to me were to stop believing, Jesus would still be Lord of my life. This was my faith, and my God.
She went around, and when the response was demanded of me, I felt absolute sesolation when my response was "yes." I knew that while I was declaring Jesus Lord in my life, my life and examples were shouting "No!"
And she was crying for us. For US! A bunch of teenagers she's only known for four days. Most adults know us for years and wouldn't give a hoot about our spiritual walk. This was genuine.
As each and every teenager there said "yes," I literally saw the concern and love in her eyes. I remember thining, "I want what she has. I want that kind of relationship with God."
Now I pose these questions to YOU.
Are you truly happy that you possess the only way to salvation? Are you truly grateful that the one and only God, the most powerful being ever, died for you so that you could have the opportunity to know Him?
I need to know.
Is Jesus Christ Lord of Your life?
Is the faith that you grasp truly yours?
And if you answer yes, where's the fruit?
