A Challenge of Faith

It finally happened, with all the rest of the country, I received a challenge to dump ice and cold water over my head. I’ve been somewhat critical of the craze and would feel like a hypocrite if I were to do it, but I have devised a response.

Most of you have already done it yourselves, and if not have at least seen the overwhelming majority of your Facebook friends take the Ice Bucket Challenge. We are all much more aware of ALS, but what does that really mean? Does the awareness really make much of a difference in our daily lives? One of my gripes about the Challenge is that it’s become the popular thing to do and has become more about the videos than ALS.  The original concept was genius, but the nation has turned it into a mockery.

While sitting in church on Sunday morning (Yes, I daydreamed a little) I was thinking of how the blueprint of the Ice Bucket Challenge could be used for an even greater good. The really cool thing about the challenge is how its united the country and everyone from all ages, colors and class levels can participate in. It used social media to spread a positive message, like it does recipes. Everyone now knows about ALS, a challenge issued over Facebook can reach the masses and influence people to act. People who otherwise would have never heard of the disease are now aware of it. Imagine if the same method was used to make the public aware about Christ.

I can go pour an ice bucket over my head and post it, but the effect will be very minimal. Or I could maybe make someone aware of the power of Christ and help guide them towards a path that will change their life forever. If you think watching someone get soaked brings feelings of pleasure, its no comparison to having Christ perform miracles through you.

Thousands of people who two weeks ago had never heard of ALS are now supporters. You can’t be on Facebook for long without seeing yet another video of the Ice Bucket Challenge. It’s everywhere. Imagine if messages of faith were as rampant as posts about ALS. What impact would that have on our world?

We live in a society where the news is often nothing but bad. The lead story on the nightly news is a murder almost every night. Our schools are heavily secured because of multiple mass shootings in an environment that’s supposed to be safe for children. Drugs are everywhere. Our world is full of hate and violence and where Christ is being shut out, because non believers might be offended.

My challenge is to take a step towards changing that. Will make it even easier than the Ice Bucket Challenge, no video is required. Just simply post…I’m a Christian and include a brief description of somehow that Christ has worked in your life.

Maybe, just maybe it will help spread the awareness of Christ (no money involved) and if just one life is changed, it will be worth it.

To be fair, and so people won’t think I’m just trying to avoid the ice cold water, if twenty people accept this challenge I’ll complete the Ice Bucket Challenge.