If you could only remember about six to ten Bible verses, what would you want them to be?
What if you could only remember about ten minutes worth of material, what would you want that to be?
My mom, who is battling Alzheimer’s, is in this position.
When I had the opportunity to visit my parents last month, I took them to In-N-Out Burger. I went to fill my drink, and before I returned to our booth, I saw my mom passing out gospel tracts to others in the restaurant. Her memory is fading, but her passion for souls is strong.
At a recent visit to the hospital, she didn’t remember her family or understand her surroundings. But she did remember to ask four doctors and two nurses if they knew that Heaven was their home, and she did share an entire Romans Road gospel presentation with them.
On that particular day, I remember having so much on my mind. Unfinished projects, issues needing attention, problems needing God’s wisdom, piles of work in the office, sermons for Sunday, and, of course, my mom’s health. Between all of it, my mind was spinning.
But to know that my mom, who recently hasn’t even recognized me, is asking people everywhere she goes, “Do you know for sure that Heaven is your home?” it puts everything on my mind into perspective.
Our minds get so full of what, in light of eternity and our calling as gospel ambassadors, is trivial.
Although we have many responsibilities in a given day, we have one mission: to preach Christ.
Although we have many responsibilities, we have one mission: to preach Christ. Click To TweetThere is a lot of conversations these days about being gospel-centered in our life and ministry. And truly, the gospel should influence every aspect of our lives.
But being gospel-centered isn’t just about understanding God’s grace and living personally in light of the cross and resurrection. It is about taking our responsibility as messengers of the gospel seriously…it is about centering our lives around the Great Commission of Christ.
Being gospel-centered isn’t just about understanding the Cross, but centering our lives around proclaiming the Cross Click To TweetMy mom’s carefulness to share the gospel didn’t take place overnight. It took place over decades of faithfully sharing it with anyone who would listen before her mind began failing. It is because her mind was so thoroughly saturated with the message of the gospel and her responsibility to share it that she is still a faithful soulwinner.
I recognize that Alzheimer’s affects each person differently, so I don’t in any way mean draw any implications for someone suffering from this terrible disease who struggles differently than my mom.
However, I do draw from my mom’s testimony the conviction that I want the gospel of Christ to be in the center of my thoughts and for sharing it to be in the center of my interactions with others today.
To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ…—2 Corinthians 5:19–20
