Endure: Holding Fast Our Assurance Firm Until The End

The 1993 movie "Schindler's List" is about the life of WWII war industrialist Oskar Schindler and what happened to Jews during that time. There is one scene in this movie that grabs my heart whenever I see it.

In the scene, Schindler is presented with a gold ring on the eve of the war's end. This ring was made by Jews he saved from a death camp by employing them in his factory. Inscribed on the inside of the ring is a saying from the Jewish Talmud, "Whoever saves one life saves the world entire". When he places the ring on his finger, he comes to a heart breaking realization. He reaches out and takes the hand of his company's Jewish accountant who presented the ring to him. He leans forward and quietly confesses, "I could have got more out. I could have got more."

Visibly shaken, Schindler realizes that he could have done more to save people. He pulls a gold lapel pin from his suit asking himself why he kept it. He could have bartered that pin to save one more person from death. Overcome with regret, He breaks down in tears saying, "I could have got one more person...and I didn't...I didn't".

What he realized pierced his soul. Lives were lost because he didn't do what he could have done to save them.

Oskar Schindler built his companies during the war to make money. A lot of it. And he did. He succeeded in what he set out to do. But as the war drew to an end, something in him had changed. He stopped chasing after money. The lives of Jews became his pursuit.

I wonder what God revealed to him that brought about such a change of heart. Maybe He simply asked him a question.

"What does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose his soul?"

Whatever it was that Schindler came to realize, he understood that he couldn't undo what he had done. Those whom he could have rescued, but didn't, were gone.

Though it's just a scene in a film, it always moves me. I ask myself, "Will I experience such remorse? Will I have regret for not having done all I could to help save people during my time on earth?"

There's no condemnation for anyone in Christ, and I don't feel condemned when I think of this possibility. It stirs me to seriously consider how I'm living my life.

Do you think that tears of regret will be among the tears that God will wipe from our eyes when all is done?

I believe they will be.

Though they might be inevitable, there is a way we can make those tears few. It's in knowing why we are here in the spiritual war being waged on earth.

"Well done, good and faithful servant. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master." Matthew 25:21

There are things that Jesus gives us during our lifetime to serve Him with. We all hope that we're faithful with these so that one day we'll hear Him say to us, "well done". However, I believe there is one thing in particular that we will experience His personal joy for having been faithful to do.

A few days ago, I sat on the edge of my bed thinking of my wife. She constantly considers the needs of others and ways that she can meet those needs. As I thought about this, The Holy Spirit spoke to me. He said, "She loves to give". When I heard these words, tears welled up in my eyes. I had known this about her for years. But for some reason, He brought this home to my heart in a way I hadn't felt before. Again He said, "She loves to give"...this time emphasizing the word "loves". When He said this, I realized He was gently letting me know there was a lack within my heart toward others.

God convicted me of something that I had been thinking about for some time yet hadn't fully responded to. When He spoke this to me, in the way He did, I felt His love and was moved to give myself to what He showed me...

...be faithful to love people.

I know God is speaking this to me. Perhaps He is speaking this to others as this is something important we should all realize at this point in history.

Even though our country has a new government administration that's bringing about much needed change here and around the world, the end of this present age is still coming. As it approaches, the trials and tribulation that Jesus warned us of will cause the love of most to grow cold. This will make loving people increasingly difficult. Still, this is what He wants us to do. Love others in the face of adversity. Our enduring in fervent love will result in our salvation (Matthew 24:13). Not just ours, but also for those Jesus is gathering to Himself in these last days.

God loves to give. He loves to give of Himself for the sake of others. And this is what Christ is doing through us, right up to the time He comes for us. I see this in my wife, and I hope others see this in me.

I believe the reward we'll receive from Jesus for being faithful won't be according to how well we lived, but how well we loved. I believe this because of one simple truth. Our faith in Him works through love (Galatians 5:5-6).

If we're faithful to love when we have the opportunity to, our regrets will be few... ...and we will have done all we could do during our time on earth.

About the Author: Kevin Carmody and Tammii Carmody came to know Jesus as their Lord in the late 1970’s. During the years following, they participated in a number of short-term ministry trips to Central America and Western Europe while raising their two children. In the mid 1990’s, The Lord asked them to consider Abraham’s “other” descendants who lived in the Middle East...the Arab nations. In response, they resigned executive positions that they held in their occupations and joined ALL NATIONS in 2003 to receive ministry training as field workers. The Carmodys have lived and served in the countries of Oman, United Arab Emirates, Iraq, and Germany, ministering to both Arabic and Farsi speaking peoples with the love and forgiveness of Jesus. They now reside in Arizona.

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