Do you remember the ALS Ice bucket Challenge? Maybe you were challenged by a friend, family member or colleague to dump a bucket of ice water over your head and make a donation to battle ALS. This movement was started by three young men who were battling the disease themselves. Copying the tradition of winning teams dumping Gatorade over their coach’s head, these three men encouraged folks to film themselves dumping a bucket of ice water over their own head and challenging someone else.
In 2014 the ALS Ice bucket Challenge went viral. Within five days in August of that year over 2 million people participated. Soon the total reached more than 28 million. The challenge raised $115 million in six weeks. This money was used to reach research breakthroughs identifying new genetic factors and of course, ALS awareness was raised dramatically worldwide.
Have you ever thought why so many people participated in this fundraising campaign? It was for a good cause, it was good clean fun, and we enjoy picking on and inflicting a little chilly pain on our friends! The same principle that caused the ice bucket challenge to spread so fast causes toys to sell out at Christmas, restaurants to be filled to the brim and records to soar up the song charts. No matter how independent we think we are, we are prone to follow the crowd.
Most of the time I would warn against doing something, just because someone else does, but in the case of following Jesus, the Apostle Paul encourages us to imitate those who are mature in Christ. He tells believers that they should keep their eyes on those who know Jesus and to live like those folks are living. Small groups at Wallula Christian Church provide us with the opportunity to keep our eyes on Jesus by finding, following and providing examples of what living for Jesus looks like. We can imitate one another as we imitate Christ. Groups begin the week of August 17th, so don’t wait, sign up to be a part of a group today!
Lance
Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us.
- Philippians 3:17