It Only Takes A Spark

“We’ve always sparked others with what’s burning inside of us.”

Have you ever heard that cliché camp song sung in harmony around a fire pit, “It only takes a spark to get a fire going…?” It’s a bit cringe-worthy I know, as it sticks in your head for the better and the worse.
 
In June, I found myself listening to a podcast where the author, John Burge, was comparing thousands of near-death experiences (NDE’s) to what Scripture says about heaven. I was amazed at the common experiences from all over the world. Often, when people encountered Jesus in the heavenly realm, they were returned with radically different perspectives of love and life here on earth. I was unexpectedly sparked, so I decided to order the book, Imagine Heaven, and it didn’t disappoint.
 
I read through it in short order, gripped with the common themes of Jesus, love and light that virtually everyone in those circumstances experienced. It was deeply moving, and it challenged the way I thought about the life to come, and the way I should live today. I’ve heard it said that “people who are too heavenly minded are no earthly good,” but I found it quite the opposite. In fact, they often tend to spark things in others that bring great earthly good.
 
That’s how it affected me, anyway.

It’s true that everybody tends to talk about the things they love. It didn’t take long for me to slip the excitement about this book into many of my conversations.
 
In an early morning meeting, I briefly shared how impacted I was and it piqued the interest of a friend who wanted to read the book. I dropped off my copy at his house the next day, so he didn’t have to wait, hoping he’d enjoy it, too.
 
A few weeks later he called, thanking me for the book. He hadn’t finished it, yet, but incredibly it was stirring hunger in his heart, too. “Best book of the summer for me,” he said. It must have been good, because he’d been telling others. Namely, one of the pastors at church who, not normally given to book suggestions, had been impressed with the excitement and decided to give it a read. He also found himself gripped by the power of God’s love for people.
 
There’s a time for everything, the scriptures say, and this must have been one of those times. 

A few weeks later, our pastor referenced several stories from the book, and encouraged people to read it. That’s all it took to set many to get it. Now, in early fall, I can’t tell you how many people have asked me if I’ve read Imagine Heaven and told me how it has so encouraged their hearts. I just smile knowingly and enjoy how God is touching them.

 Jesus taught His disciples to pray, saying, “Give us this day our daily bread,” a clear picture that God would supply daily what is necessary for life. I love the fact that God intends for us to share with others what He is showing us. That’s how His daily provision operates: feed others with what God is feeding you.
 
These days, we hear and see things described as “trending,” “having a life of their own,” or “going viral.” It’s nothing new, really—it’s the way of the Kingdom. The Kingdom of God has always had a life of its own on the lips and hands of His people. We’ve always sparked others with what is burning inside of us.
 
The reality of God, what He’s like, is perhaps too distant for some, or the concept is over-familiar to others; but when someone with living understanding crosses their path, something “catches” within. 
 
So, it’s a small “catch” in a larger story of “dominos falling,” “seeds planting,” or “fire sparking,” but the Kingdom principle is the same:  You have to give in order to receive. Sparks don’t grow hot alone—they need to be breathed on and dropped onto fresh kindling. 
 
That simple camp song has been running in the background of my thoughts, and it’s asking questions. Am I feeding others on what He’s feeding me? If I’m honest, I’d say “not nearly enough.” What about you?

Imagine Heaven is a wonderful book. Maybe it'll spark you, too.