It was a chilly Saturday morning. As usual, my son has to go out with his Youth Pastor and the rest of the teens for soul winning. He is very constant and faithful to this work. As a mom, I drive him to church regularly to attend this great activity. June 2 of 1985, God opened my eyes about His plan of salvation to me which I gladly received. And, during my teenage years, this exact activity which my son was into is what brought me face to face with God's powerful Words in converting sinners to Himself. A task that truly puts into action the urgency of the need in harvesting souls ready to have the Lord Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord of their lives. Of truth, I have retreated myself to purely giving out gospel tracts since coming to America. I have seen tracts sent back to my home church in the Philippines and for me it was a good way to fulfill my soulwarning responsibilities (Ezekiel 3:18-19 When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked [man] shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.) Yet, at times, I find myself using gospel tracts distribution as a crutch to avoid personal confrontation of people about the question of where they will spend eternity? Although I see gospel tracts distribution as a means of scattering seeds wherever Christians are, I find my excuses pertaining to confrontational evangelism ridiculous. These includes embarassment, failure to speak up, time factor, lack of care, necessities and cares of this life among others. But then, I have to turn the table around to recall the many times that Christians around me heeded to the call for evangelism efforts. As young as 6 years of age, I remember going with Lani Peralta who is our neighbor, to a Baptist Church in Aurora Hill, Baguio City, Philippines. My only recollection of that time was that it was my first time to go to a Sunday School. If am not mistaken, that was the first time the gospel seed was planted in my heart. In high school, our school director, Sir Emmett Asuncion, was a Christian. He fondly spoke of the sacrifice that the Lord Jesus gave to save us. Some of my teachers will talk about Christ in class. And a missionary from Youth with A Mission started a bible class among me and my friends. I was confused during this age. I was born a Roman Catholic and loved the mysticism and traditions that surrounds it. Besides that, I was involved during my younger years in mystic religious organizations like faith healers, moonies and other enchanting activities that high schoolers are drawn into. Also, high school made me realize the many religions all around me as spoken and embodied by my classmates. During which, me and my classmates will argue about the many facets of our different religions. Religions of the mormons, Jehovah's witnesses, methodists, Iglesia ni Kristo, Seventh Day Adventists, Lutherans, Roman Catholics etc. made me comment back then during our arguments that the best religion is dependent on the person. That is, doing what he thinks is right will eventually be rewarded. After receiving Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour because of my sins that deserve the eternal punishment in hell, He showed me it was not so. What I think that were right were actually declared foolishness and is evil in the bible. Well, I am sure glad somebody warned me about my sinful state and the eternal punishment I deserve because of it. Much more because of the fact that the Lord Jesus never left me alone in such state but offered Himself to die as payment of my sinful state. Yes, He took my eternal punishment the moment He offered Himself to die, was buried and rose again from the dead! Such victory from death! Thus, as I see my son go to his teen soulwarning/winning activities, I thought to myself, I need to go out once again as well. Me and my daughters knocked on doors in apartment complexes and condominiums. What a realization for me that my middle daughter was actually coaching me into what my usual activities back in the Philippines. Yet, I gladly accepted her coaching. Oh! We were so glad when I had the opportunity to talk to Edgar Badillo. He listened intently when I went through the Romans Road in the Bible. Declaring the same truth that was revealed to me when I got saved. He consented to praying to the Lord and accepted his sinful state and Jesus to save him. Wow! Was that so quick I thought! I never thought that Edgar was a fruit ready to be picked. God had let me and my daughters to knock on his door! How awesome God is! I never felt so good all this years but sure is when you pick a ripe fruit, it is surely a joyous one! After two weeks, me and my last daughter went back to the same door for follow up. We had the chance to talk to Alex, Edgar's brother. Oh my! After showing him the plan of salvation, he just went on to pray and did the same! How awesome God is! It was our privilege to pick the fruits ready for harvest.
Of course, I would like to say as well that there were soils out there that has no seed in themselves. Some of such soils never let us till their hearts to plant God's Word in their hearts. Others did allow us as well but needs more tilling. Nonetheless, with or without the harvest of souls, God will surely bring forth harvest of fruits. Not for us at times, but for other Christians to do so as well. Yet, we will continue to spread the Word in the soils and let God bless the increase. Of truth, the yield of our labors we will only see when we are in Heaven. Till then, our anticipation here even grows of what the eventual harvest will be. The seed anyway is God's, the fruits as well is His! For His own glory! Thanks Lord for the privilege in spreading Thy Seed and Picking Thy Fruits!
"The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise."—Prov. 11:30.
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