Let It Get Close

Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.  Romans 12:10-11 (NIV)

Props: map and pen

*Contextualize this lesson by using as an example a natural disaster that could happen in your area: tornado, flood, etc. 

            All of us know what a hurricane is: a huge storm that forms in the water and can travel to land, bringing rain, high winds and sometimes tornados with it.  Right now we are in hurricane season, the time of year when a hurricane can form easily.  If a hurricane travels to land, it may destroy trees, houses, buildings, cars and might even kill people.

(Use the pen to outline a “hurricane” in the ocean, far from your city).  When meteorologists first see hurricanes, they are usually far away, maybe out in the ocean or near some islands.  No one here really thinks much about it, because it is still far away.  It may be pounding some island down to the ground, destroying homes and killing people, but not too many people here really think about it.  So no one does anything:  no one collects food or water, no one gets flashlights ready or thinks of where they are going to go.  The storm is still far away and not affecting our lives.  You might be that way in your life.  People all around you are going through tough times, but if it’s not affecting you, you may not care enough to do something about it. 

(Use the pen to outline the movement of the “hurricane” close to your city).  We all know that hurricanes don’t stay in the same place:  they move, sometimes quickly.  Things change when a hurricane moves.  And people change: their whole attitude about the storm changes when it comes near them.  If this storm moves and comes right near our city, people would suddenly board up their houses, buy food and water, check their flashlights and think of an emergency plan if they suddenly have to leave town.  This storm would instantly become important to everyone nearby. 

The big difference in their attitude is that suddenly the storm is near to them.  They can see it and feel it, so they want to do something about it.  Sometimes the reason why you’re not willing to do things is because you don’t see and feel the need.  If you hear about a hungry child in another country, it may not bother you.  But if you were hungry, you’d want to get help right away.  Start caring about other people like you care about yourself.  It’s easy to ignore problems that are far away or that you can’t see or feel.  But having ambition means wanting something—wanting to help, wanting to make a difference, wanting to do something great for someone—and being willing to do what it takes to get it.