Okay — before anyone launches into date calculators or conspiracy-thread deep-dives, let me put my clown shoes on and then step off the stage: I’m not going to make fun of the latest rapture date. I’ve lived long enough to be a veteran of more than one “Harold Camping” season, and healthy skepticism is the only sunscreen that keeps spiritual sunburn at bay.
Here are a few thoughts — with a smile, and with Jesus firmly in the center.
1) False prophecy hurts the witness
When people outside the church can’t tell a pastor from a false prophet, credibility takes a hit. Denominations don’t show up on the street; people see one Christianity. When we start predicting charts and dead lines, the world says, “Really?” and then walks away — and that makes it harder to tell them about the One who actually saves.
2) It makes sharing Jesus harder
If your credibility is shot, your invitation to life in Christ sounds like an infomercial for a timeshare. Jesus told us to live ready and to love urgently, not to spend energy on elaborate escape plans that distract from the neighbors in front of us.
3) Don’t mock God (or treat him like a punchline)
There’s a thin line between banter and blasphemy. We can laugh — thank goodness, because some of us need the therapy — but mocking God or treating the gospel as a novelty damages more than our reputations.
4) The Bible settles the “when”
Jesus himself said no human knows that day or hour. (See Matthew 24:36.) Paul comforts us with this truth about death and hope: “To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.” (2 Corinthians 5:8, KJV.) Translation: don’t panic about the timetable — live like you love people.
5) Let’s live with urgency — for people, not escape
I became a Christian after the Left Behind books — great fiction, riveting imagination — and I get the excitement. But the world is already temporary enough. Instead of plotting escape routes, let’s talk to people with urgency about where they’re headed. Let’s love our neighbors, show mercy, and point people to Jesus now.
A short prayer
Lord, keep our eyes on You, not on calendars or sensational headlines. Help us to love the lost with urgency, to speak truth with humility, and to live lives that point others to Your grace. Amen.
For reflection
Who in your life needs to hear the gospel this week? What’s one practical thing you can do to show God’s love to them?
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