1 MAN Vs. Shark/Bear/Rattlesnake

BittenWould you call that unlucky? 1 person being attacked and bitten by a shark, a bear, and a rattlesnake?I’ve spent a lot of time in the outdoors. I’ve slept where bears roam, hiked where rattlesnakes slither, and swam in oceans where sharks live. But I’ve never been threatened, let alone bitten. Dylan McWilliams has been attacked and bitten by all three in just the last few years! The shark and bear within a year, and the rattlesnake a couple years before. And he’s only 20 years old!He still swims in the ocean, camps in the wilderness, and hikes in the desert. Three times bitten, but he keeps going back.I love that spirit! McWilliams said, “I’m a big animal lover. I don’t blame the shark. I don’t blame the bear. I don’t blame the rattlesnake. I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.” But he keeps going back to those places.I would like to think that I would, too.You know that old saying that it’s better to love and be hurt, than never to love at all? It’s true. And living a worthwhile life is full of risk. Making a difference in this world involves hazards. Following Jesus and doing what he says is inherently treacherous. If you do. If you follow Jesus fully, you will get bit. You will be misunderstood. You will be maligned. Anyone in ministry leadership has experienced those things, myself included. But I keep going back. Because the end results of risking our own comfort and temporary well-being is sooo worth it!It’s risky to put yourself out there for the sake of others. It’s risky to share the gospel, and in particular, talk about the need for the Gospel (sin). It’s risky to love others and make sacrifices to help them. Most of us follow Jesus today because others took those risks to share with us. Sometimes we are attacked. Sometimes we get bit. But I’m not looking to arrive at heaven’s gate, well-rested and unscathed. I’d rather get there beaten up, worn out, and sporting some scars. That means I’ve followed Jesus even through the toughest ordeals and obeyed him when it was hazardous.So get out of that comfort zone and join Jesus’ cause for transformed lives. There will be some bruises and stitches along the way, but when seeing the difference in people’s lives for eternity, your scars will feel like trophies!

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The Snake that Burned the House Down