Anyone notice that LOST has all capital letters? I did. And I notice when referring to the show LOST in emails, chats, texts, etc. most of my friends tend to capitalize it like that.In electronic communications, all caps mean shouting, screaming, etc. So according to that, the islanders are not just lost, they are LOST!
I think that sometimes, when we share the gospel, we try to tell people they are lost very softly. It's nice, quiet, subtle, maybe even apologetic. As if we were sorry for interrupting their descent into the abyss with the message of hope and salvation.
A car speeds towards a bridge. You, mud stained and rain soaked, see it coming. You know the bridge is out, because you traveled that path not so long ago and barely turned around in time. You're thankful to be alive but now you're torn. If you step out into the headlights, they might stop, they might swerve and have and accident. They might even ignore you and drive faster thinking you're some psychopathic miscreant on the prowl. But if you do nothing, then their fate is fairly certain. You make your decision and step out toward the road as the headlights glance off your glasses it. This is it! Do or die! Reaching deep down inside of you, you let out one long powerful... whisper. "Hey dude, I think the bridge is out."
Zoom! The car flies past. They don't even acknowledge you. You pat yourself on the back. "I tried."
Maybe the show has it right. Maybe we spend too much time using the words unsaved and not enough thought on the word "lost". When we say unsaved, it sometimes sounds like somebody who's... not like me. But if we think LOST, maybe we will feel the urgency of someone needing to be found. Even brothers and sisters in Christ can be LOST sometimes. They aren't unsaved, but in some ways they're still LOST. 100 - 1 = 99. WWJD.
Maybe we need to be saying it a little louder. Not meaner, not harsher, not angrier, not even bolder. But with a conviction that says, "this is important to me. You are important to me." I think I will start thinking of my LOST friends... and realizing that LOST is a big word. Thank God FOUND is even bigger!
