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When I think about the idea of starting a fire ususally my mind wanders to the reality show “Survivor”. Every season someone is put in charge of the fire (this is usually before they win some type of immunity and are just given matches). I always think the same thing each time they collect their pile of wood, some brush, some line or string and they start twirling away - I think “not gonna happen”. And up to this point I don’t think it has. These are just ordinary people put out on an island and asked to hunt, fish, gather and make fire like they grew up there. Most, if not all, are not very good at any of the above.
I’ve always thought I would like to be on that show - I could show them how to do that - I would be the first one ever to start that fire without matches or catch a fish with my bare hands!!! Again - “not gonna happen”!!
Through the wonder of editing, directing and producing we don’t see all of what goes on behind the scenes on these types of shows. We see what they want us to see, what makes for good TV. We see this person trying for all they are worth just to get a little ember or spark of a flame going and then the very next week it’s like they have become professional fire builders - cooking over an open flame all their lives.
I think many of us in this world today are just like the people on these shows - yeah we are not thrust out into nature to fend for ourselves, but the world each of us lives in from day to day can feel very much the same. We are just ordinary people, but the difference is is that we have an extraordinary mission. Our job is to help to light or spark that small ember within others so that their lives one day will have the potential to burn white hot for God.
Everyday we have to hunt, fish, gather and make fire but when we do this with a purpose (like $1,000,000 on the show) it becomes very worthwhile.
How much is another soul worth? How long would you twirl away at that fire if you knew you were helping another person have the opportunity to live white hot forever?
~Christi Mahar
August 20th, 2007 at 11:04 am
I don’t normally watch ‘Survivor’ but I would DEFINTELY watch it if Christi was on it!!! Thanks for the great analogy Christi - as building our own fire while encouraging others to tend to their’s can get difficult and be pretty consuming. But if we are all encouraging one another, it’s not such a burden at all, and each of our fires will get stronger in the process.
August 20th, 2007 at 11:38 am
To carry the “Survivor” analogy a little further… Until a tribe gets their fire going it hinders everything else they try to do. Without fire they can’t boil water, so they get dehydrated. Without fire, they can’t cook food so they become hungry and lethargic. As a result tribes without fire usually lags behind in building their camp, they often bicker and get on each others nerves, and they usually lose the challenges.
The same is true for our spiritual lives. If we don’t get (or keep) our spiritual fire going it affects every other aspect of our lives - our motivation level, our relationships, our home life, and our ability to do our jobs effectively.
August 20th, 2007 at 5:05 pm
I want to add on to the Survivor thought that Christi started, too. My thoughts went to personal responsibility. We know that the bundle of sticks maintains the fire, heat and flame longer and with more intensity than the single stick.
My mental picture is that each stick represents each of our lives. You are one stick, I am another, your friend is another. Together, we form the tinder bundle.
After being reminded again in the message that we are each responsible for our own spiritual growth and efforts toward becoming white-hot, this leads me back to the idea of the small group involvement, the next-step partnership and the serving opportunities that are out there for each of us to move our “sticks” closer to the fire bundle.
As each of us steps up to act on the 7 steps for fire starters we metaphorically move our “stick” or life closer to the fire bundle. As that fire bundle grows with the individual heat that each of us is generating for God, the flame grows and intensifies. The closer we get together, the more of us gathered, the closer we get to the white-hot level God is calling us toward. Together we can draw one another a long and keep each other burning at that level.
Community-it’s God’s plan for us to reach that white hot level.
August 20th, 2007 at 7:49 pm
What well thought out and inspiring responses!
The only thing I would like to add, is regarding the intensity of a fire as it spreads. Not only do the flames get larger, but the reach and scope of the fire grows as well. I look at it like this, as we each work to raise the intensity of our internal fire, our smaller sparks can rub off onto another individual causing them to begin to light up as well. It’s almost like the idea of “pay it forward”. As we do unto others, we are spreading love, and encouraging others to do the same. The little acts of service to others are not only honoring God, but they can also serve to start a fire and spreading of love in one another.
I notice it in the little things. Yesterday there was a woman behind me in line at the grocery store. Something was urging me to help her with her things. As I helped her place her items on the cashier belt, I could see her light up. I soon noticed that the cashier was more chearful than I had seen her with the previous customers, and the woman herself was smiling and began chatting with the woman behind her. That little “urging” caused everyone around to be just a little more pleasant.
Just think of what a difference we could all make as we share little bits of love with everyone in our lives. Our small sparks could spark someone else, who might then be prompted to “pay it forward”. What a fire we could spread as we practice small acts of service to one another. Now just imagine the impact we will have as we start to spread that White Hot fire we are working towards. Myself, I am so excited about the possibility. How about you?
August 20th, 2007 at 9:59 pm
We had a very good deep discussion in my next step partnership tonight and most of us felt as if we were just sparks, because we were comparing the wonderful feeling we had as new Christians; learning, committing to Christ, and the wonderful feeling you get as you transform. That then lead us to a deep discuss of what does a White Hot Christian look like? We were comparing to a new relationship when you still have the butterflies in your stomach? We came to the conclusion, thanks to Pastor Douglas who happened to walk in at the right time (wrong time for him) we come to conclussion that being a White Hot Christian is broken down to many different aspects of our lives..i.e. commitment, the 5 G’s, etc. With that being said we re-evaluated ourselves and felt that we were more then sparks.
Anyway, in regards to question 9, If I had to describe a church full of white hot Christians I would say the things that attracted Tom and I to Cypress to begin with: a church that serves the Lord our God, loves without judgement, and will be there for you no matter what storm rolls your way.
I feel the most important thing for us to do as Christians to ignite others are: Pray for those far or new to Christ, live by example, and as indicated in the Leadership conference to motivate them by giving them a vision they can die for!