I used to be a really good liar. Well, maybe not a “talented” liar, but I was a habitual one. I would lie about being sick, so I didn’t have to go to school. I lied on AOL Instant Messenger about my age. Eventually, a lie would come out of my mouth, and the taste of it made me think, Why am I doing this, again? So I stopped.
My four-year-old, though, recently took up lying as a side gig. He’s so good at it that he’s actually gotten away with some things he shouldn’t have. Maybe it’s truer to say I’ve always believed him up until this point because he wasn’t a liar. And now, sometimes he is. My mom intuition can sense it. He looks away from me and avoids the conversation. But I don’t let it go. I can’t. I’ve got a man to raise, who I plan to arm with integrity. And I also plan to give him eyes for eternity.
Yesterday at church, my pastor pointed that out: the importance of valuing others and their eternity. The mission is easy to see for me. I will fight for my boys to see the value of their eternity with Jesus until I can’t say a word, and the dirt muffles me.
But there is more. I’ve given God a space in my heart, and He has set a heavy, important call on my heart. He’s inviting me in to connect with women in ways I just can’t dream up. He’s pulling me close in these moments to send me out like an arrow, and I can feel it, the weight of His armor and weapons. I cannot ensure the salvation of anyone. But I can fight the hell out of it and fight for the eternity of women I am called to. I can’t even ensure the salvation of my boys, and I want to be loud about it until I die. In this, I hear God: Value all souls the same as you value your sons’. Fight for my people to see the value of their eternity with Me until you can’t say a word, and the dirt muffles you.
Don’t stop fighting for the glory of the Kingdom. It doesn’t mean waging wars against sinners. I’m one of those. It means fighting to hem in those we care for, to bring them into the fold of our Creator, and giving them the sight for eternity. When our eyes are fixed on it, He can take center stage. He can fix me up to send me out, and He does what only He can do.
Do what He has called you to, and do it fiercely. Love. Give people a chance. Welcome them into your heart and give them reason to believe you mean it. God did the same with you, friend, and He wants you more than you’ll ever want a thing on this earth.
I’m fighting. Are you?
JANELLE DELAGRANGE 