As of this writing, the July 4th festivities in our area have slowed down. My dog and I are very happy the nightly boom-booms are over. The fireworks are beautiful and loud, and you can’t miss them if you try. We are currently in Montana, and the sky doesn’t get dark until nearly 11 p.m. So, the fireworks display on our resort property didn’t start until late. Because our dog is anxious regarding the noise and we had to work the next morning, we chose to stay home.
I remember I had already fallen asleep when the noise woke both of us up. We simply opened our window shades and watched the show from our comfy bed in our RV. We weren’t going back to sleep anyway. I know I wasn’t satisfied with simply listening to the noise. I had to see what was going on. That was the beautiful part.
As I thought about this, I made a comparison. If we want to be a firecracker for Jesus, people need to hear us spread the Gospel but they also need to see our beautiful, firecracker selves live out our faith. If we don’t live a life that reflects Jesus, they might have trouble believing anything we say.
I could have told my husband what a beautiful display there was outside. He could hear it, but seeing it is the only thing that would sell him on the beauty of the lights flashing in the night sky.
As my friend told me, “Firecrackers are a wondrous and miraculous thing all by themselves. They sparkle and boom and burst and are so beautiful that people can’t help but look up. Being a firecracker for Christ can be about being a person who makes people take a second look. They can’t resist looking at you and being filled with wonder at what must make you shine as you do. It can sometimes be that you have a light inside you that is lovely to behold. It makes people want to know what it is and where it came from. That opens doors to some great conversations about Christ.”
So, how can we have firecracker zeal for Jesus in all things that we do? The world doesn’t really like when we are on fire. “Tone it down,” they might say. “It’s OK for you, but you can’t talk to me about Jesus at the grocery store, in the parking lot, at work, or anywhere outside of a church.”
Once I was on a church evangelism team, and we headed to a fair to talk to people about Jesus. These summer fairs had the rides, food stands, country music bands, and even a gambling tent. We stopped a woman to talk with her. She was all smiles and lovely when we made small talk, but when we brought Jesus into the conversation, her attitude changed. “This is not the time or the place to talk about that,” she said as her countenance went from smiling to grim.
When I was gainfully employed back in the 90s in a “career” job, I remember putting a simple wooden cross on my cubicle wall and was asked to take it down. Several of us requested the use of a conference room for a lunchtime Bible study and were denied. At the time, I felt very persecuted. I wasn’t sharing my faith with anyone. Why was the cross so offensive? Why couldn’t a small group meet to talk about the Bible? My guess is if we had asked to have a book club, they would have welcomed us with open arms.
Ah, that’s the ticket. Just tell people we are having a book club. It is a book after all.
Some of these scenarios might make you think we shouldn’t share our faith. If people don’t want to hear about Jesus, who am I to push it on them? Jesus said at the end of the book of Matthew that we needed to go into all the world with the Gospel.
There are a number of scriptures that speak of fervent faith, zeal, and the Holy Spirit’s power.
Romans 12:11 “Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.” In other words, have a passionate and active faith.
Acts 1:8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Believers are empowered to be witnesses, which is what happens when you are on fire.
2 Timothy 1:6: “For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of hands.” Stir up the gifts in yourself and within others.
Zeal means to be hot (like a firecracker), fervent, and with an excitement of the mind. You need to long after God and have a willingness and a readiness of mind.
How do we get to a place where we have so much zeal for the Lord that it oozes out of every pore and lights up a room when we enter?
We cannot be satisfied with the status quo. If you have been in the same place, reading the same dry devotionals, saying the same dry prayers that don’t seem to get past the ceiling, then you need to be lit up for Jesus.
Dig into his word. Don’t be satisfied with where you are. Go higher and deeper into the things of God. Take advantage of opportunities to learn and better yourself.
Be the beautiful firecracker for Jesus that God longs for you to be. You will never regret it.
Prayer:
Lord, we need more firecrackers that will be zealous for you. Let us not be satisfied with the status quo. Move us up to higher things in you. Take us deeper. Let there be a hunger for you, Lord. As we study your word, give us those nuggets that only you can provide. Keep us moving and growing in you. In Jesus’ name we pray.
Discussion questions:
1. How can you be a firecracker for Jesus?
2. Are you lukewarm or are you on fire? How do you know?
3. What are you afraid to do if the Holy Spirit asked you?
Action steps:
Get out your Bible and ask God to begin showing you those tidbits and nuggets that make his word come alive. Ask the Holy Spirit to come alongside and show you what you need to do or read next.
Create an evangelism group or join one in your church and begin to witness to others.