Many people in the United States are asking how we arrived at this pivotal moment in America’s history.

I’ve witnessed preachers pointing their fingers at the church and saying it’s all her fault that things are the way they are.  Despite the blame game, I see the church as a beacon of hope, a place where positive change can start.

Why is it that when something goes wrong, we look for someone or something to blame?

Why do so many wait until something goes wrong to get motivated to do something about it?

Too often, when we wait until something is wrong to do something about it, the reaction to it is generally out of balance or out of proportion to the problem.

I personally believe that being proactive is a much better approach. Proactive action involves doing the right thing well before the problem can overwhelm the situation.  It is not about complaining once things have diminished to a certain point.

Case and point.

Jesus came to seek and save the lost.

Luke 19:10 for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

His last command to the disciples was to preach the gospel.

Mark 16:15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.

A proactive posture for the church would be to engage in this process eagerly and faithfully. By seeking out the lost rather than waiting for them to seek us out, we might witness a shift in the culture.

Could it be possible that a post-Christian America could become flipped again if the great commission of Jesus were to be taken seriously?

For me, proactive involves getting the gospel right, getting the gospel into our hearts firmly rooted and grounded, and then getting the gospel out. Reactive is when things have to get so bad that there is no longer an option left but to do the thing that should have been done all along.

The sad thing is, when it is done from a reactive position, it usually comes across as being hateful and more of a turn-off than a beautiful invitation to something wonderful.  The invitation to know who Jesus is, what He accomplished, and how He is offering eternal life to any who would believe in Him is meant to be the greatest news ever brought to this fallen planet.  It is meant to be proactive, but it can only be proactive when it is believed and exported as the wonderful truth that it really is.

I wonder what would happen before the end of 2024 if every professing believer in Jesus won just one person to Christ by faithfully and continually promoting the good news of Jesus to those they come in contact with. Now that would be proactive!  I think it would be a much happier and more enjoyable way to go about it, don’t you?  Complaining all the time is reactive and comes across as being a victim.

There is beauty in being proactive, hope in being proactive, and something attractive about being proactive! The gospel has always been proactive. Jesus did not come as a reaction to sin; He was the plan before sin ever happened. The Trinity was proactive before creation!  Who can you share Jesus with today?