By: Scott Adkins, Sling ‘n Stone Ministry
Carter County Times
January 11, 2024, Arabian Sea: Navy SEAL Gage Ingram slipped while climbing aboard a ship that carried Iranian weapons to terrorists. Into the blackness, Gage plunged beneath the waves. Unhesitatingly, fellow SEAL Chris Chambers dived into the darkness to save Gage. Both drowned; their bodies unrecovered. What enables these men to do such things? Answer: These men possess gravel for guts, and steel for spines.
Less than one percent of sailors become Navy SEALs to fearlessly fight and defeat America’s most
fearsome foes. What do SEALs, with gravel for guts and steel for spines, have to do with Christians? Plenty. SEALs exemplify in the secular world what Jesus demands from those in His kingdom. Jesus so explained in His parable of the talents.
Matthew 25:14-30 describes three servants – two who worked diligently for their lord, growing his investment in them, and one who did not because he “was afraid,” of losing what he had been given (Matthew 25:25). The lord called this fearful servant “wicked and slothful,” (Matthew 25:26), and “cast him… into outer darkness [where] there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Matthew 25:30). That means eternal Hell. Even though the fearful servant preserved what his lord gave him, he still ended up in Hell. He ended up there because he hid what his lord gave him; and in so doing, he wickedly disbelieved and disobeyed his lord. (Matthew 25:25).
The Lord Jesus Christ casts away none who come to Him – if they come repentant on His terms. (John 6:37); (Luke 13:3). And when we do come to Him, He then commands: “Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel.” (Mark 16:15). Why? Because, Jesus said, “All power is given unto Me in Heaven and Earth.” (Matthew 28:18). We’ve nothing to fear. If we believe Him, we go; if we don’t, we won’t. Just that simple. Jesus warns those who don’t believe and won’t go: Revelation 21:8 (“But the fearful and unbelieving… shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone.”).
We must examine ourselves: Are we like the two servants who faithfully obeyed their lord? Or are we like the fearful and wicked one who disobeyed, hiding what his lord gave? Do we faithfully serve Him by declaring the Gospel that He purchased when He died on that cross? Or do we cower and hide His priceless Gospel, fearing persecution?
II Timothy 2:3 urges we “endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.” Just like SEAL Chris Chambers dived into the darkness, and died, to rescue fellow SEAL Gage Ingram, we must launch into this dark world, willing to die, to rescue sinners. To do that, we must bear gravel for guts and steel for spines, which He will give us, if we ask Him. (Matthew 7:7-11). And we must fearlessly go, lest He find us “fearful and unbelieving.” Of those who truly believe Him, He commands we go… with gravel for guts, and steel for spines, fearing nothing and no one.
