There's hunting and then there's hunting

Warning: This post contains some graphic detail. If you are opposed to hunting of any form, please wait for the next post...

Hunting is a pretty manly activity. You're main goal is to kill things, after all. In years past I hunted. I wouldn't say I was an avid hunter, but I hunted regularly with my dad. We'd go out for small game and deer. (The first day of deer season was a holiday where I'm from.) Small game hunting was a lot of walking and looking. Deer hunting was sitting and waiting and watching. Hopefully something would cross your line of sight and you would aim and shoot. Simple as that.

I spoke to a gentleman this weekend who hunts in a different manner. He asked if I knew if it was legal to hunt in Ohio without a license - if you weren't going to use a gun. His method of deer hunting was much different than mine. It began the same, with patience and quiet. But, when you spotted a deer the rest was very different. He told me about leaping out of trees (or down from walls) onto the back of a deer, gripping it with your legs and then killing it with a knife. That's a whole new level of hunting. That's a whole new definition of manly.

It made me think about how we approach life. Are we sitting and waiting to take a shot or are we stalking and looking for the opportunity to throw ourselves into the fray? Are we willing to get our hands dirty and add a little risk to the equation?

I'm tired of sitting in the tree. I'm ready to leap.

Your Story

"The whole city was aroused, and the people came running from all directions. Seizing Paul, the dragged him from the Temple, and immediately the gates were shut. While they were trying to kill him, news reached the commander of the Roman troops that the whole city of Jerusalem was in an uproar."

Paul is facing the wrath of the entire city. People are trying to tear him limb from limb, clawing for blood with their bare hands. He is only saved by the intervention of the Roman guards. Because he is a citizen, Paul is given a chance to speak to the crowd. He could have performed miracles, spoken prophecies, proved to them that he was powerful and speaking truth. He could have explained to them the mysteries of heaven, reasoned with them about where they were wrong in their thinking. He could have pleaded with them for his life, begged for mercy. He could have renounced his beliefs and returned to Judaism. Instead he resorts to something even more powerful. He tells them his story.

He explains to them how he met Jesus on the road to Damascus. He gives them the play-by-play on how his life was changed. He was once like them. No, he was once more zealous and certain than any of them, but he found a life-changing relationship with Jesus. This story, his personal story is more influential and powerful than anything else Paul could have done. And it is something any Christian can do - provided they have a life-changing relationship with Jesus.

What does that take? Faith and action.