By Ashlie Miller

Who doesn’t love a fall weekend getaway? Sometimes, it can be spontaneous, with less pressure to have things in order at home before embarking. However, many of us still handle a few things before leaving for even 48 hours — taking out the garbage, removing smelly foods from the fridge and wringing out the kitchen sponge or rag. No one wants to come home to a foul odor after breathing in the refreshing air of the Blue Ridge Parkway, apple cider from the orchard or comforting candles at the general store. Have you ever returned home from such a trip only to be welcomed by the souring stench of a sitting sponge?

We can be like soured sponges in life, too — soaking up many good things but never wringing out the goodness within. Last week’s column spoke of the peace Jesus left for Christians in Matthew 24 when considering “times like these” (or end times as Christians refer to it). He told the disciples and future readers of the gospel to be careful who they listen to, not to be alarmed by what transpires, and trust God to keep them — all very sound, peace-giving counsel.

Jesus’ words did not end there. Those words led to His following command — proclaim this gospel to the world. How interesting — when asked for help by the disciples, Christ first calms and assures but then leaves them with the charge to go and tell the life-saving message of deliverance from the wrath to come because “the end is not yet.” After preliminary warnings through natural disasters and wars raging, we have time to declare a life-giving message — truth from the gospel. 

What does it look like to proclaim? We often turn our heads to our local pastor or even to the missionary we support as responsible for evangelizing and sharing the gospel. We, however, are not exempt from personally sharing. The great commission is for all Christian believers. We do our best to live lives of integrity, hard work and joy at work or school. We make the most of opportunities to discuss where the joy comes from. When neighbors or others need practical help, we offer practical comfort (like an encouraging word, a hot meal, babysitting or using our tools) and seek to cultivate time to discuss eternal things. In relationships, we share our story, God’s story — a story of redemption from sin. We can even use the myriad social media platforms to share the message of hope (people are scrolling to find it).

Those with a living relationship with Jesus have a heart full of hope. Suppose we are content to keep it to ourselves. In that case, we will no longer be a sweet-smelling fragrance but become a souring stench to our Savior and those around us. Someone who does not open themselves to the vulnerability of sharing the message may come across as personable in public, shaking hands and kissing babies, yet never genuinely share warmth in private relationships at home with their family or by welcoming the stranger. They look like a sponge full of hope but are filled with stagnated water. Yuck! Do we greedily hoard the hope of the gospel? Smelly sponges either get tossed or undergo a thorough cleansing process and become willing to be used and wrung out.

If you have a life-giving message, you are not destined to sit or soak in comfort and peace. When alarmed by what we see unfolding before us, we can spend time sharing conspiracy theories or the latest viral news feed, or we can do what Christ said — warn but also introduce people to hope along with it.

Ashlie Miller is a pastor’s wife and homeschooling mom of five children who often wait in the car far too long while she wrings out sponges and throws out the trash before an adventure.