Fan Into Flame

7/17/14       Derrick  Click Here to see video     about 21

I believe this generation is tempted by worldly distractions more than any other in history.  At a McDonalds I found the young man in this video – Derrick – watching soccer on TV while absentmindedly scrolling his smart phone.  He agreed to allow me to record our conversation based on the initial question – “What do you think happens after this life?”  Despite attending and being baptized as a teenager at his grandmother’s church, Derrick’s answer to my initial question was based not on scripture but on a recent Facebook story about a woman’s near death experience.  Yet as we talked I could see him warm up to memories and lessons learned during his church experiences.  It reminded me of when Paul wrote of Timothy “fanning into flame” the gift of God that had come through the faith of his mother and grandmother.  This refers to a fire that has died down to glowing embers, but fanning bringing them back to full flame.  Derrick had a Christian upbringing, but now confused faith in Christ with faith in one’s good works.  My role in reaching out to Derrick was to “fan into flame” the faith he had been taught but has been neglecting.