The Dare of a Lifetime

George and his best friend Ethan were playing in the creek on a warm, summer afternoon. Ethan was talking like he always did about Jesus and how George could get to heaven. He quoted the verse John 3:16; “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believes in Him shall have eternal life”.  These young men were 17 years old and they were like any teenage boys, they liked to dare each other to do things and they like to take those dares. 

As Ethan swung out over the water in an old tire swing he shouted at George; “I dare you to say that you accept Jesus as your savior." 

George thought about it a minute and said, “You’re on!”

The next day George saw Ethan in the hall at school.  He wanted to know what he needed to do now that he had “accepted Christ”. Ethan who was six foot one with eyes that were clear, translucent blue began to tell him what he needed to do. 

“First” he said; “You have to read the book of John, which is where the verse I quoted you yesterday is from. Then you should find a church and get hooked up with a solid Bible believing group of people who can lead you. I go to a little country Baptist church in Lagrones which is a fundamental Bible believing church and they teach that the Word of God has no errors and that it is the truth.” 

“Now, hold on a minute,” said George as he was starting to get more than a little irritated. “I don’t think I signed up for all of this.” 

Ethan replied, “You took the dare!”

So George went home and began to read the book of John. He found it very interesting and could not put it down. His grandmother got him a Bible with his name on the front. She was so thankful that he had decided to become a Christian. He decided that he would go to one of the big churches in town that had good music and lots of people so that he would not have to talk to any of them. As he sat in church that first Sunday morning, he listened to the words of the songs the worship team was singing and began to hum along. The tunes were catchy and he found himself humming them during the week while he worked on homework.

A couple of weeks later, Ethan decided to go with George to the church he had decided to go to. He really had hoped that George would have chosen the Baptist Church down the way. He had never seen so many people in one service and the music was very loud and made it hard for him to concentrate on the words and what they meant. When the teaching started, he could not stand it and wanted to leave. Knowing that would be rude, he spent his time listening and asking God to help him show George that this was not a place he needed to be to learn to worship the Lord and learn His Word. The title of the message was The Bible and Psychology.  The message lasted for well over two hours and was filled with things that absolutely did not a agree with biblical teaching. The preacher talked about self-esteem being the way to happiness and that God wanted everyone to be happy. So, people should strengthen their self-esteem as a way to honor God. 

  Afterward, the two went to eat at a hamburger joint downtown. Ethan was trying to decide how to approach George with what he had seen and heard when George asked him what he thought. Ethan decided to be very blunt, and told George that he thought it was terrible. He explained that George needed to be somewhere where he could worship and pray and come before the Lord, not be entertained or told that he is more important than God. George stated that he had not thought of it as entertainment, but he could see how that might be the thought. Since he had just started reading his Bible, he had nothing really to compare what he heard to. He said that since Ethan had made the effort to go with him he would go with Ethan the next week. 

On Sunday morning, they were both at Sunday School where the lesson was something called The Truth Project  from Focus on the Family. As George listened, he began to hear the voice of God speak to him and affirm to him that this was the truth of God’s Word. This is where it all began. In Genesis it says that God created every living creature and the seas and the land, and even people. He created plants, and gave man control over it all. George began to wonder, if God made all of this and if it was perfect, why did Jesus have to come to die and why is there so much evil in the world. As he continued to listen, he found the answer to that as well. Adam and Eve ate from the tree that God told them not to eat of and they became like him knowing good and evil. With this one sin, the whole world was plunged into a sinful state and to this day we are paying the price. He begin to understand why he needed a Savior and why Christ came to die. The sermon and the quiet music of the worship service, helped him to be calm and to continue to hear the voice of God calling to him. As an invitation hymn was played, he went forward, this time not on a dare but of his own will and truly accepted Christ as his savior. 

Today, Ethan and George are both missionaries in Australia working with the Aboriginal people. They share the gospel with them every day and have had some even come to Christ. George married an Australian woman named Mary and Ethan married an American named Kathy. They have four children apiece and their wives teach in the Kilmore International School in Kilmore, Western Australia. Many people in Australia have been saved by Jesus Christ, all because a seventeen year old boy dared another one to accept Christ. If the dare had not been accepted, there would be no salvation for these people. God’s plans are not to be tampered with. He is sovereign and even a dare, is something that he can use to further His Kingdom.