Last year in English I had to read an article about something called the “bystander effect”. The bystander effect is defined online as “the phenomenon in which the greater the number of people present, the less likely people are to help a person in distress.” The reason less people are likely to help is because they assume other people around them will take action and help.
I think a lot of us suffer from the bystander effect in our faith. We say things like “someone else will tell ______ about God, I don’t want to have to risk looking silly” and “I’m too busy to give up any of my time to volunteering, someone else will do that” and “I would invite _____ to church but I’m sure someone else has or will.” It’s really unfortunate that we have turned into this lazy culture that just hopes someone else will fill our spot. There are so many lost and hurting people out there and we oftentimes ignore them because “someone else will do something.” We are more concerned about ourselves and how we appear to others rather than putting ourselves out there and trying to make a difference in the world. We rely on others to step out in their faith when we don’t want to- but what if everyone had that mindset of ‘well someone else will do that so I don’t have to’?? The world would be a sad place.
Before signing up for the World Race Gap Year I was trying so hard to just ignore God’s voice and pretend He wasn’t calling me to go on this mission trip. I already had my life planned out- I was going to go right into college after high school then graduate college and start my lifelong career right after that. This whole 9 month mission trip wrecked my plans and couldn’t someone else do this?? I was being selfish and didn’t want God interrupting my plans that I had already made. I soon realized how tired I was of just sitting back, watching other people live for God and go out to make their difference on the world. I wanted that. I wanted God’s plan for my life. I knew He was able to work through me- all I had to do was say ‘yes’ to the plan He had for me.
I was called to serve people overseas, but that’s not necessarily what everyone is called to do. I would really encourage all of you to listen to what God wants you to do and who He wants you to reach out to. Let’s start thinking about God and others before we think about our “perfect” plan. Stepping out in our faith and being bold can be scary and uncomfortable. It would be so much more comfortable for us to just sit back and do our own thing but as Francis Chan says “But God doesn’t call us to be comfortable. He calls us to trust Him so completely that we are unafraid to put ourselves in situations where we will be in trouble if He doesn’t come through.”
I don’t know about all of you but I am ready to live my life fully for God. I am ready to give up my comfort zone so I can truly rely on God’s strength. I’m done sitting back and hoping someone else spreads God’s love and hope, it’s my turn.
and by the way I leave in 2 days. Yep 2 days- I can’t believe it either! You can keep in touch with me by email & I will be trying to update my facebook/twitter/instagram when I can. THANKS EVERYONE FOR YOUR SUPPORT. It means the world to me.
