Daniel quickly turned and paddled. The wave swelled around him. Once it seemed the wave was about to break upon him, he pushed up to his feet. As he tried to stand, he tipped and got one more mouth full of saltwater.
He surfaced, smacked the water with his fist, and gave a frustrated yell. Defeated, he turned his back to the ocean and trudged to the safety of the beach.
“You can’t give up that fast.” Daniel looked up. A boy about his age smiled back at him as he waded into the water with his surf board.
Daniel frowned. First the kids at school made fun of him, and now here on the beach? He hated California. Why did they have to move here and leave his home and all his friends in Montana?
“I could teach you if you want?”
Daniel perked up. Was he serious? The boy didn’t look like he was teasing him. “Really?”
“I’d be crashing just like you if my dad never taught me.” The boy’s blue eyes looked kind and friendly.
Daniel needed a friend.
He stuck out a hand “I’m Joel.”
They spent the rest of the day laughing and playing in the water. On their walk home, to their surprise, they found out they lived only seven houses apart.
They ran into each other at school and then again at church.
Just like Daniel, Joel only had sisters and always longed for a brother.
“Then let’s be brothers,” Joel announced one day.
“How do we do that?”
“Simple, we make an oath. Just like the President does.” Joel pulled his bible off his nightstand. “Put your left hand on the Bible, and stick your right hand in the air like this.”
Daniel copied Joel.
“Good, now I’ll say my oath first, and then you copy after me.” Joel cleared his throat and straightened his back. “I, Joel, solemnly swear to be Daniel’s brother. To encourage him and support him and never turn my back on him. To laugh and cry with him. And to walk through life with him together forever.”
Daniel repeated the words back. They laughed and hugged, and thus they became brothers. Bound by an oath far bigger and stronger than either of them realized in that moment.
At first it was easy to stay true to their word. They grew closer and closer each year. Many in high school truly believed they were brothers. Even as high school graduation came, they picked a college that they both wanted and weaseled their way into rooming together all four years.
God seemed to want them together as they both started dating at the same time, and even married within a month. Each accepted the offer to be the other’s best man. It seemed they truly would be together forever.
God impressed upon both their hearts to be missionaries. By some miracle, they both ended up with the same mission organization which placed them both in Beiruit, Lebanon. Years flew by. Trials came, as did blessings. With each season the two brothers and their families grew closer. Nothing could separate the two.
Until one day.
The two sat on a bench overlooking the Mediterranean sunset high up on one of the Lebaneese mountains. Their eight-year-old boys played together on the playground for the last time. Their wives talked and laughed and cried while each pushed their youngest in the swing.
“I really thought we’d stay together forever.” Daniel fought to hold back the grief that welled within.
“I thought so too.” Joel nodded.
“All those years . . . ” Daniel thought more than he said.
“It’s hard to believe we are still the same boys that first met back on that beach.”
A tear rolled out of Daniel’s eye. He wiped it away, but another came to take it’s place. “I hardly know how to live without you.”
Joel looked back at him with watery eyes. “It’s going to be hard.”
“But it has to be done,” Daniel added. “God gave us twenty-two years together. We should thank him for what he gave, rather than be mad at what he didn’t give.”
Daniel wiped the tears from his eyes. “I’m proud of you for making this decision. It’s a hard thing to give up a friendship like ours for the sake of reaching people who have never heard the name of Jesus before. That takes the heart of a true Christian. As sad as it is to see you go, I’m honored to call you brother.”
“It’s time we take a new oath.” Joel pulled out his cell phone and opened his Bible app. “Put your left hand on the Bible and raise your right hand like this.”
Daniel copied Joel and raised his right hand.
“Now I’ll say my oath first, and then you copy after me.” Joel smiled, but another tear escaped and rolled down his cheek.
“I, Joel, solemly swear to be Daniel’s brother. To encourage him and support him and never turn my back on him, to laugh and cry with him, to run the race and fight the good fight, and to make hard sacrifices as God leads for the sake of bringing as many people with us into eternity where we will once more be able to walk through life with eachother together forever.”
Daniel repeated the oath and they both hugged once more. Their families all said their goodbyes and then departed.
One year later, Daniel got a call. Joel died from a terrorist attack as he visited a small village deep in Malaysia. The news cut Daniel to the core, but he pressed on in his ministry.
Sixty years later, surrounded by his children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and a few of the hundreds he helped lead to Christ, Daniel took his last breath in a hospital bed.
When he opened his eyes, Jesus stood before him and welcomed him into eternity. Just behind Jesus, Joel stood eager to hug him and to once and for all spend together forever.
The End
I write this short fictional story with a deep passion for the lost. I hope Daniel and Joel’s dedication to Christ, the lost, and the great commission inspires you also to make the hard decisions for the sake of reaching those who have not yet come to know Christ. Sacrifices must be made if we hope to reach the lost. If you need help or encouragement to play your part in the great commission, I’m here to help. Please let me know how I can be here for you. Feel free to email me at philipwilder.author@gmail.com.
If you liked this short story, I’d encourage you to check out my other short stories by going to my blog categories: Flash Fiction, and Thrive Stories.
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