The Value of a Challenge

Entranced by the beauty of the Caribbean Sea that was crashing on the sand only a few feet away from me, I couldn’t help but wonder why the Lord had directed me to spend the afternoon on the beach. Often, I get caught up on the fact that there are lost souls wandering the streets and forget that I’m in a town where there are also lost souls lounging in beach chairs. If “life is ministry and ministry is life” is more than a mission statement, then there has to be purpose in my placement on the seashore today, right? 

So I embraced this wild life, zipped my valuables into my backpack, and busted a sprint over the blistering sand that stood between me and the water. There’s this special feeling of freedom that comes with that first dive under the waves. When I pop back to the surface, I can’t help but offer a grin from ear to ear and thank my Father for the sweetness of creation. After a while of enjoying the water alone, my pals Brandon and Kev joined me and we had a grand old time. 

I took notice of a fellow on the shore near our belongings that was burying his own personals in the sand beneath his chair before swimming right next to us. 

“You guys American?” He asked when he realized how close he had gotten to us. 

We engaged in a conversation with him that taught us that he is an Army guy turned Air force man living in Colorado, but is from Alaska. He came down to the Dominican Republic for a bit just to vacation from the craziness that is his life in the United States right now. Then came the part where he asked how we found ourselves in this neck of the woods. 

“We’re missionaries.” We agreed and watched as he understood what kind of conversation he had gotten himself into. 

He didn’t think too long before he told us that “I grew up Pentecostal, but I don’t really believe in all that stuff. Speaking in tongues just doesn’t make any sense to me.” He continued, “I consider myself to be an agnostic of sorts. I believe in God, the Christian God, but I’m not a fan of religion.”

This man had no idea that he’d stumbled upon some missionary boys that are infatuated with King Jesus, but don’t necessarily appreciate the direction that the western church has been headed for years. 

He didn’t hang around for too long after that before he retreated to his chair and umbrella. Brandon and Kev followed suit, but I wanted to play a bit longer, so I held my place in the waves. Until I saw our guy make his way over to where my dudes were holed up. I quickly decided to join them to see what might go down. 

When I got to them and began to listen, I learned that they were only continuing the conversation that we had begun before. This excited me because I could hear the pain in my new friend’s voice as he communicated his past experience with us.  

Having been condemned by his family’s church for his challenging questions in the past, he resisted his desire to ask us the hard question that had been bouncing around in his mind, but eventually he went for it anyway. And if I can be as honest with you as we were with him, we did not know the answer to his question, but it meant so much to him that we didn’t become offended or attempt to fabricate an answer formed by lofty christian-ese phrases. Instead, I pulled out my Bible to navigate the question and we were still left stumped. That’s alright. 

I could probably popcorn a few different mini sermons off this story, but what I want to communicate here is the value of challenging one another as believers. 

But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect. 1 Peter 3:15

When we challenge each other with the hard questions of the faith, we will in turn be able to make a defense when we are faced with the same thoughts from unbelievers or any other person who should come to us for that matter. Also, note that Peter adds that we should do this with gentleness and respect. My friend with bold questions was scorned for wanting to know why we believe what we believe and that’s not fair or biblical. 

How do you respond when you are met with a challenge in regard to your faith? Have you ever even been challenged? Let’s be better, church. Ask the hard questions that drive us to scour the scriptures because knowing the Word is knowing God and I don’t know about you, but I want MORE of Him. 

I love you. 

AWM