An Officer and a Savior

Think of the best human being you know!  Who is the greatest man or woman you have the blessing of knowing?  

For me, it’s my best friend Matt! He’s an officer in the United States Navy stationed in Japan.  Although I admire and respect his career, that’s not what puts him at the top of the list. Matt is legitimately the best man I know! He’s the guy that, since 8th grade, has been on the front lines of life with me.  We did everything together:  church functions, school, and all the teenage boy shenanigans in between!  We supported each other’s careers, and saw each other grow into men we both respect. I witnessed him go from a kid who wouldn’t step foot in a church to the guy who couldn’t wait to get into the building to play bass on our worship team!  

He’s also the guy who, when my life fell apart, drove over 300 miles to be with me.  When I lost everything, I stayed at his house.  He gave me his own bed and made sure that I was okay. I admire him and am grateful for his friendship! He has Captain America level integrity and character. I enjoy telling people about Matt because I’m proud of him: Proud to be called his friend! The ironic part is he wouldn’t want me telling people because he would want the credit to go to the One who deserves it more than any other man we know. 

I can remember the conviction I felt when I was praying one day and the Lord just laid it on me: “If you talked about me as much as you did Matt, how many people would also want to know about who I am?”  I felt awful and embarrassed.  See, God wasn’t mad that I was thankful or bragging about my friend.  He just wanted to make it clear that if my friend (who isn’t perfect) was someone worth sharing, then isn’t Christ even more worthy?  Shouldn’t I be declaring how good my God is?  If I can do it with man then why not Christ?  Is that not my job?  Is that not all of our roles in the Great Commission?

He came from the highest of places down to the lowest, allowing the same people that killed him the chance to have life through him! Isn’t that worth sharing with people? Who am I not to share how good He’s been? Countless times for countless reasons!  Grace upon grace. Undeserved mercy in abundance!  He’s the same Christ that Matt and I talked to while we were driving or sitting around a bonfire!  The same Christ that saved us both and blessed us with our awesome friendship.  If we can pursue a deep relationship with man but not God himself, we have missed the point!  Great men are few and far in-between, but we have only one Savior.  We have only one Jesus!  

See, we can get caught up in the “Cult of Personality!”: the latest teachers, new books, and podcasts.  All of them are not bad in and of themselves!  There are many great leaders in the church.  However, just like in our personal lives, we should never go out and spread the gospel of the latest flavor-of-the-month teacher. Even when they are awesome and admirable, they are still just human!  Let us never allow any of it to take the place or throne of the only One who is worthy of all adoration! 

Great men come and go. They rise and fall, but they need the same thing we do!  They all still need Christ to step in.  None of us can really brag at the end of the day!  We are benefactors and citizens in a kingdom we are not worthy to even be a part of! Christ makes us worthy. And he does so in such an extravagant way, how can we not go out and tell everyone?  

“Look, look at what my God has done! Come see what he wants to do for you!”  

Salvation isn’t something we get to just keep to ourselves. It is a gift with an invitation!  An invitation we are to take to our brothers and sisters to let them know there is a banquet at our Father’s house and they are invited! 

Written by Jon Tenney, a staff member of YWAM Maui.