Which side of the fence are you on?
Let me share a true story about a mom at my son’s Christian school. Three years ago she felt led by the Lord to set up a booth at our school’s Fall Festival. The sole purpose of the booth was to draw children and adults closer to God. Her first booth offered fair-goers the opportunity to post prayer requests on a large wooden cross. Then every hour, those who were gathered at the booth would hold hands and pray for the prayer requests, the school, and the nation.
Last year she created a large gold crown and affirmed the children’s identity in Christ by allowing them to choose a ‘gemstone’ and glue it on the crown. Malachi 3:17 says that we are His jewels.
This year I arrived at the festival early to help set up a booth, and the first thing that caught my eye was her booth. It was right in the center of the field with a large black and white sign that read “Got Jesus?” I couldn't wait to see what creative idea she had this year.
“Well the theme was….It’s as simple as black and white, either you serve Him or you don’t….It’s a daily choice.” What caught my eye was her very effective visual representation of the scriptures she chose. In front of the booth was a section of a picket fence. One side was painted white and the other side painted black. Children and adults could write their names on the white side of the fence indicating that Jesus is their Savior and Lord. On the black side they could stick a colored heart or cross to indicate someone they knew who was not yet saved. Above their heads was the scripture from Deuteronomy 31:11, “I have set before you life and death – choose life.”
Her second scripture was from Revelation 3:15, “I know your deeds that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other.” Again, the stark contrast of the black side versus the white side of the fence made it clear that we cannot sit on the fence. Each day we make choices that either serve God or serve Satan. It was quite convicting.
Her third scripture was from Joshua 24:15, “Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve.” She told me that as people approached the booth, she realized that she should not just assume that since this is a festival at a Christian school that everyone is saved. So she began to ask people if they had accepted Christ as their Savior. As a result of her asking, she led at least 15 people to the Lord that afternoon. Fifteen names were added to the white side of the fence instead of the black side. I was speechless.
She later told me that the following week a 4th grade girl came up to her at school and told her that she wanted to ask Jesus into her heart. So she took the child out in the hallway and asked, “Why?” The student said that two of her friends had committed their lives to Christ at the Fall Festival booth. After her friends told her that, the student had a desire all weekend to do the same. So when she saw this mom volunteering in her classroom, the student knew the time was right and asked the mom to pray with her. So right then the mom led this girl to the Lord. Immediately afterward the mom took the child back into the classroom and the student gave her testimony to the entire class. When the mom told the class that when someone comes to the Lord all the angels in heaven rejoice (Luke 15:10) all the students clapped!
What a difference one mom has made because she obeyed the Lord’s prompting three years ago to create a booth at a school festival that honors God. Sixteen people now have the reward of eternal life when they die. Her passion to serve the Lord at our school is truly amazing, and I wanted to share her testimony with you. She is an outstanding example of living a Christ-centered life.
Romans 3:23 says we have all sinned and fallen short of God’s glory. “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23).
Let me share a true story about a mom at my son’s Christian school. Three years ago she felt led by the Lord to set up a booth at our school’s Fall Festival. The sole purpose of the booth was to draw children and adults closer to God. Her first booth offered fair-goers the opportunity to post prayer requests on a large wooden cross. Then every hour, those who were gathered at the booth would hold hands and pray for the prayer requests, the school, and the nation.
Last year she created a large gold crown and affirmed the children’s identity in Christ by allowing them to choose a ‘gemstone’ and glue it on the crown. Malachi 3:17 says that we are His jewels.
This year I arrived at the festival early to help set up a booth, and the first thing that caught my eye was her booth. It was right in the center of the field with a large black and white sign that read “Got Jesus?” I couldn't wait to see what creative idea she had this year.
“Well the theme was….It’s as simple as black and white, either you serve Him or you don’t….It’s a daily choice.” What caught my eye was her very effective visual representation of the scriptures she chose. In front of the booth was a section of a picket fence. One side was painted white and the other side painted black. Children and adults could write their names on the white side of the fence indicating that Jesus is their Savior and Lord. On the black side they could stick a colored heart or cross to indicate someone they knew who was not yet saved. Above their heads was the scripture from Deuteronomy 31:11, “I have set before you life and death – choose life.”
Her second scripture was from Revelation 3:15, “I know your deeds that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other.” Again, the stark contrast of the black side versus the white side of the fence made it clear that we cannot sit on the fence. Each day we make choices that either serve God or serve Satan. It was quite convicting.
Her third scripture was from Joshua 24:15, “Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve.” She told me that as people approached the booth, she realized that she should not just assume that since this is a festival at a Christian school that everyone is saved. So she began to ask people if they had accepted Christ as their Savior. As a result of her asking, she led at least 15 people to the Lord that afternoon. Fifteen names were added to the white side of the fence instead of the black side. I was speechless.
She later told me that the following week a 4th grade girl came up to her at school and told her that she wanted to ask Jesus into her heart. So she took the child out in the hallway and asked, “Why?” The student said that two of her friends had committed their lives to Christ at the Fall Festival booth. After her friends told her that, the student had a desire all weekend to do the same. So when she saw this mom volunteering in her classroom, the student knew the time was right and asked the mom to pray with her. So right then the mom led this girl to the Lord. Immediately afterward the mom took the child back into the classroom and the student gave her testimony to the entire class. When the mom told the class that when someone comes to the Lord all the angels in heaven rejoice (Luke 15:10) all the students clapped!
What a difference one mom has made because she obeyed the Lord’s prompting three years ago to create a booth at a school festival that honors God. Sixteen people now have the reward of eternal life when they die. Her passion to serve the Lord at our school is truly amazing, and I wanted to share her testimony with you. She is an outstanding example of living a Christ-centered life.
Romans 3:23 says we have all sinned and fallen short of God’s glory. “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23).
John 3:17 says, “For God did not send the Son [Jesus] into the world in order to judge (to reject, to condemn, to pass sentence on) the world, but that the world might find salvation and be made safe and sound through Him [Christ Jesus].
The Bible says that God doesn’t want anyone to perish. Anyone – that means you and me. That means God loves all of us. It’s a simple matter of choosing today whom you will serve. It’s a free gift of grace, not works. Ephesians 2:8-9 says we are saved by grace through faith. This is not the result of anything we do, or we would have the right to boast about it. It’s a free gift of God’s love and grace – simply by believing that Christ died for us and paid the price for our sins. Why would anyone want to pass up that offer?
Which side of the fence are you on?
Which side of the fence are you on?
