As a youth minister, there is nothing more exciting than watching young people put on Christ in baptism (Galatians 3:27).

The other day, Mike, a youth minister from Broken Arrow, sent me an e-mail that really touched my heart regarding our recent areawide fall retreat. He complimented all the teachers for a job well done, and said that a young lady in his youth group was baptized the day after because of things she learned and observed while there. That meant a lot to me because once again God has humbled me and reminded me that he continues his work even after my work is over.

Yes, I would have loved to see that young lady become a Christian (Acts 2:38). But then again, it's not really my job to save 'em. It's my job to teach 'em. It's my job to sow seeds. It's my job to help bring souls to Christ. Only God can do the harvesting. Only God can truly work on someone's heart.

If you've ever experienced a spiritual high, you already know that the hardest part of living the Christian life takes place after the camps, youth rallies and special worship times are over. That's when the devil has his best shot at stealing our souls. So many times I see young and old alike make commitments to Christ during a spiritual high, only to crash and burn the first time Satan comes knocking. The devil has a way of finding us when we're at our most vulnerable. We often forget that God is always with us, not just during exciting or inspirational worship times, and not just when our Christian friends are around. However, the Bible points out many times that having Christians as your closest friends can make spiritual warfare much more manageable.

I don't know that I even met the young lady who was baptized after the retreat. That's not important. What is important is that she met Jesus Christ and made a commitment to serving him because of some very dedicated teachers and other young Christians who made a huge impact.

Christians have a very important and life-saving message to tell both verbally and in the way we live. When we profess to be Christians, make no mistake about it people are watching us. Some are hoping to catch us in a mess-up. Others are simply people who are amazed at how Jesus works in our lives in spite of our imperfections. In either case, Christians are teachers.

Remember, tomorrow is a new day. Everyday, you and I have opportunities to introduce people to Jesus Christ by the way we act and react. May God give you the strength and perseverance to make a difference in someone's life. Let God do the rest.

Reach Barrett Vanlandingham at Fort Gibson Church of Christ, 478-2222 or ftgcoc_barrett@sbcglobal.net.