THE POWER OF PERSISTENCE
Micah Smith
Today's Scripture: "My dear brothers and sisters, if someone among you wanders away from the truth and is brought back, you can be sure that whoever brings the sinner back from wandering will save that person from death and bring about the forgiveness of many sins." James 5:19-20, ESV
Theme: The purpose of standing firmly against sin is ultimately to restore and return a brother or sister from death to life.
TOBIAS – THE GUY WHO WOULDN'T GIVE UP
I grew up in a Christian home – church every Sunday morning, Sunday night, and Wednesday night. Faith was a family rhythm, a structure I didn’t question. But when I left for college, that structure vanished. The freedom was exhilarating but also disorienting. After pledging a fraternity my freshman year, my life kind of started drifting. I say “kind of” drifting because my grades were perfect – 4.0 that first semester – but my choices weren’t. Partying, drinking, and late nights went from being the exception to being the norm. On the outside, I was thriving. On the inside, I was wandering.
Enter Tobias. Upon arriving at school, I’d filled out some random survey for Campus Crusade, never expecting a follow-up. But Tobias showed up... a lot. He’d find me on Saturday mornings when I was recovering from the night before. He’d casually walk with me after class. He wasn’t pushy, just persistent. He saw beyond the surface and knew I was meant for more.
Fast forward a year. Not only had Tobias helped me reclaim my faith and stand up to my sins, but I was now leading a Greek Bible study (to be clear – for sorority/fraternity members, not actually in Greek) – helping other fraternity and sorority members rediscover their own faith. What if Tobias had given up? What if he had assumed I was too far gone and just another frat guy? His persistence didn’t just restore me; it sparked a ripple effect, bringing others back to truth as well.
RESTORATION REQUIRES PERSISTENCE
James reminds us that bringing someone back from wandering isn’t just about correcting bad behavior – it’s about saving lives. It’s about seeing past the mess and believing in what God can do in someone’s heart.
Maybe you have a friend, a family member, or a colleague who has drifted. Maybe you’ve been hesitant to reach out, fearing rejection or awkwardness. Restoration is rarely convenient. It takes showing up, again and again, with love and truth. Who might God be calling you to pursue today?
Make It Personal: Is there someone in your life who has wandered from faith? How can you lovingly and persistently point them back to the truth, not in judgment, but in grace? How might God use you to bring about restoration in their lives?
Pray: Father, thank You for never giving up on us, even when I wander. Give us the courage to pursue those who are drifting – not with judgment, but with love. Help us to be persistent, like Tobias was, and remind us that restoration is always Your heart’s desire for us. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Read: Luke 15:1-7
Weekly Memory Verse: “I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one.” John17:15, ESV