Faith Challenge

Near the first of each month, I post a "Faith Challenge" in this section in order that you might think about it, discuss it with your friends, and respond.  Responses are posted on the "Friday Feedback" page. 

Below is one of these faith challenges. Please email us with your response.

feedback@sonnychilds.com

Simple faith or too far out on a limb?

So there I was, clinging to an extension ladder with all the world spinning dizzily around my head. I was trying to chop off a limb that was about 15 foot above the ground and all I had to work with was a dull ax and blurred vision. Now, for those of you who have a sick sense of humor and are already hoping that this story will end with a dramatic fall brought about by my foolish decision to cut off the limb that was holding me up, let me scream “Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! What’s wrong with you? This is no game! I was suspended somewhere between Heaven and Earth and neither one of them seemed close enough to reach without a very long fall.

No, I didn’t fall off the ladder. I did, however, have one of those nauseous moments when I momentarily lost my balance and I saw my entire life pass before my eyes. But after several acts of extreme cowardice punctuated with me screaming like a little girl, I was able to pull myself back to safety. (Note: I added the screaming part for emphasis, but the cowardice part really is brutally accurate.)

Anyhow, to make a long story too long, I kept chopping and eventually the huge limb came crashing to the ground. Sorry, that’s all the drama I have to offer.

What’s that you ask? Why was the removal of that limb so important that I felt it necessary to risk my life while cutting it down with a dull axe at an altitude that could give a person a nose bleed? Well, I’m glad you asked!

Near the end of April, many of you received an email from me entitled, “Urgent Request!” In that email, I told you that MAP is facing a heartbreaking problem. We do not have enough space to house all the young people who were planning to come for evangelistic training this summer. We may have to turn some away. However, within just a few hours of that request being broadcast over cyber space, we began receiving messages from people who wanted to help. Among those messages was one very challenging challenge. My good friend, David T., from central Kentucky, has instructed me to let you know that if we can raise $3000 before May 10, he will provide the remaining $1000 needed for a boy’s cabin. As of 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, we have raised $2250. Ain’t God good!? Look out David, here we come!

This whirlwind of results is both humbling and exhilarating. Now back to the limb. The reason I was clinging to a ladder at 1500 feet - oops that’s a small use of literary exaggeration even though it really did feel that way! - was because I have a feeling we are going to meet and exceed David’s challenge. That limb had to go if the cabin is to be built.

So, here’s the question: By cutting the limb down early, was I acting on faith or was I crawling too far out on the limb of human reasoning? I really am interested in knowing your thoughts about this. Please email me and answer this question, How can we know the difference between acting on faith and running ahead of God?

Responses to this article are posted on the "Friday Feedback" page.

Note: When I was a teenager, I thought I knew everything. Now that I am much older, I know that I have much to learn. Please feel free to email me with your thoughts on this important topic. feedback@sonnychilds.com