Pass It On – February 25, 2012

Reflecting on how I am a “dynamic ‘evangel’ who shares the good news of God’s transforming love”, I immediately thought of a favorite CGC campfire song, Pass It On.

And after googling the lyrics, reading them through a few times, and letting them resonate while they played through my head for a few days, I came to the conclusion that I

don’t follow the message of the song. I thought, “Well, Ben must be crazy. How does he expect me, an 18 year old student, struggling with the many different pressures of a Catholic high school so preach my faith to my peers?!” I thought about evangelism and the people who come to my door every Saturday to try to teach me about their church. Then I felt bad for ignoring the doorbell and pretending I wasn’t home every Saturday morning. I remembered the young woman sitting next to me on the airplane with me that one time with I was 15 who had me read the bible with her and ended the conversation by asking “Will you pray with me? I think you need to be saved.

You can only do this once you know and I would just love if you would share this experience with me.” And then I felt bad for making up an excuse not to pray with her. I thought, “Maybe I should be the one going door to door every Saturday morning. Is that how Ben wants me to work this theme into my life?” Sharing the good news of God’s love seemed a little too “in your face” for me to handle.

So then I pondered how I should be working this year’s theme of evangelism into my life. How can I be an evangel without the intensity that will scare off my peers? I remembered the song! “That’s how it is with God’s love, once you’ve experienced it, you spread God’s love, to everyone; You want to pass it on” So how do I make my peers EXPERIENCE God’s infinite love without them tuning me out? It is our job and Disciples of Christ to show God’s love through our own actions. The scripture says “It was apparent that he was living everything he was saying” but Mohandas Gandhi says, “I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.” So are we living what Christ has taught us? We become evangels by spreading God’s love through our daily actions, not by knocking on people’s door, only to have the disappointment of being ignored. We can shout “PRAISE GOD” from the mountain top all we want, but we must pass on his love in order to truly praise Him.

Prayer: God, help me pass on your love from the mountaintop and in the valley.