“Mind if I join you?”, I asked, as I spotted a fellow “BootCamper” (read about the Evangelism BootCamp I’m doing HERE)
“Go ahead”, he said in his strong British accent.
As we began to jog I found myself quickly realizing that I may be in way over my head!
“I’m training for a 6 minute mile”, he said. “I do this pace one day, another the next and then another the one after until I run a mile in 6 minutes”
“Sounds good.” I said as I thought to myself, “How long is a mile?!”
We continued to run, I tried for some conversation, but there was none. This man was serious!
As we finished a lap he slowed to a walk. “Man you’ve got a good pace!” I complimented.
“Yeah, me and my wife are kind of fitness fanatics”, as it turns out my new friend Kevin had served in the British SAS. He’s been shot at and RPG’d at, he’s lead men and he’s lost men and now he is here learning how to lead the lost to Jesus on a massive scale!
He is the real deal.
As I heard his story I was in awe of his journey, and I envied some traits I could see in him. He is clearly disciplined and hard working and fearless. These are traits I am growing in and I want to learn from him. Ironically up until this point in the BootCamp Kevin had been asking me questions as if keen to learn from me. He’s been in ministry for 5 years, I have been for 15.
It was then that it hit me, though I know it in my head it smashed through to my heart-
“We need each other.”
The Bible says that as iron sharpens iron so one person sharpens another. (Proverbs 27:17) Without hard work and discipline and fearlessness I will never make it as an evangelist in the realms I am moving into.
My fellow BootCamp graduates are preaching in places so dangerous you can’t even leave your hotel unless it’s to preach, and when you do it’s with armed security by your side.
They are working around the clock and they have no fear of death.
Wow.
I need Kevin, and I dare suspect Kevin needs me.
And I need you too. Without your prayers and support I literally would not be here. It was a couple from regional NSW that gave me the $2,000 I needed for our passports and COVID tests to get here.
It was an Aunty and Uncle from Melbourne that donated the $1,000 so that we could fly to Orlando from LA.
It was a couple from our church that gave us the $8,000 we needed to clear our credit card debt so we didn’t have that hanging over our head while we were here.
It was my classmates logistical support that helped me book my flight to Africa.
And it’s the hundreds of people praying that are sustaining us every day.
I need you. You need me. We all need each other.
Here are 3 questions to help you today.
1. Who has God placed in your life who is NOT like you that you can learn from?
2. What gift do you bring others in your world?
3. How can you position yourself beside another person to help sharpen you today?
Andrew
PS- I’m writing this having just got back from 2 laps around the lake! I’m not quite at a 6 minute mile but with Kevin’s help I know I’ll be there soon! Once you start getting sharpened don’t quit! Stay the course even if it hurts, you will get to where you’re headed too!
- The Scarboroughs - 