The Tasks Of Souls

Have you ever needed help with something, but didn’t know who or how to ask for it? Oh, you had plenty of people in mind, but you weren’t sure how they would react to your inquiry. We seem to have a hard time relating to one another at times, mainly because confidentiality is not one of our highest priorities in life. I personally believe this is a great deficit in our spiritual relationship with one another. As promised last week, I am presenting a spiritual story this week to illustrate my point.
A Christian by the name of Glen L. McCullough was in the dairy business near Tupelo, Mississippi. Mr. A.D. Prince was a salesman from Memphis who regularly called on him for needed supplies. One day, Mr. Prince arrived at the McCullough dairy rather late in the afternoon. He was told he would have to come back the next day because Glen was getting ready to attend a gospel meeting at the Gloster Street church of Christ. Mr. Prince said that was fine and agreed to come back the next day. As Mr. Prince was leaving, brother McCullough heard of his visitor and thought to himself, “I should invite my friend to the gospel meeting.” He caught Mr. Prince before he could leave and invited the salesman to stay for supper and attend the gospel meeting. Mr. Prince agreed and not only attended that night, but attended all three nights of the gospel meeting by Jack Meyer. Even though he learned what to do to become a Christian, he did not obey the gospel during his visits. A few months later, Mr. Prince was given a new job and never returned to Tupelo and the McCullough dairy. Decades passed and one day brother McCullough saw a newspaper story featuring an article about A.D. Prince III, a student at a Christian college. He made a few phone calls and found out that Mr. Prince, a short time after attending the gospel meeting with him, received an invitation to attend a tent meeting in Memphis. He attended that meeting, obeyed the gospel and was baptized the first night. Later, he became an elder in the church. The student being honored at the Christian college was his grandson. Year’s later still, brother McCullough and brother Prince learned they each had terminal diseases and were given just a few months to live. As time drew near for both men, Prince had his sister drive him to McCullough’s home to pay one final visit and say, “I want to thank you for inviting me to the gospel meeting that night. If it had not been for your invitation, I probably would never had heard the gospel and become a Christian. It was your invitation that made it possible for me, my family and my grandchildren to become Christians. I will be forever grateful for your thoughtfulness. Thank you.”
[John 11:35] “Jesus wept.” Our love for one another tugs at our heart when tragedy takes the life of a friend or family member. (Matthew 23: 37-39) Jesus can see the destruction to come and the souls that will be lost. As He spoke, I bet there were tears in his eyes and an ache in his heart for those who have rejected the will of God. His spiritual connection is as strong as his physical, longing to gather up and protect all Jerusalem from their impending physical destruction and spiritual separation from God. I’m willing to bet last week’s story tugged at your emotions with unexpected heartfelt love for someone you don’t even know. How do you feel when you look at someone whom you know is spiritually lost and dying? Do you pray for them? Do you weep for them? Do they see Jesus in your life? Have you invited them to join you in God’s love?