Who are we missing

1 Corinthians 3:6 (NKJV) I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase.

God awoke me with another vivid dream, which left me worried.  I knew God was speaking to me about something deeper than what I was seeing.  I woke up again repenting and praying God would redeem the time.

I work in a hospital and if someone  needs placement (like rehab or hospice or another hospital) the referral is generally sent online.  Often times  person will start the referral, call the facility liasion and then another person will follow up.  Many times we are waiting on additional information or insurance authorization.  We have the ability to leave notes for the next person to read and indicate also what were waiting on so they can follow-up. Generally the liaison and  co-worker are following up on that discharge plan, timing, and communicating with both doctors and patients. In addition, we try to check in with patients every three days, so the scenario in my dream was very unlikely. 

In my dream, someone needed place, I sent the referral and the ball got dropped. The patient was ready to be discharged and there was no insurance authorization when I left.  A week later when I returned, nothing had been done.  No one had talked to anyone, no one had followed up, the patient was left waiting and not getting what they needed to move forward in their treatment.

I thought about all the missed opportunities where I have failed to share Christ with others.   I know there will be people in Heaven because I shared Christ with them. I know there will be people who will say, if you hadn't shared Christ when you did I don't know how my life would have turned out.

But how many people did I miss?   Times where I told myself that someone else would do it.  Times that I told myself that there would be another opportunity. Times where I tried to leave that conversation to the preacher.  Times where I had no reason to believe that a person had a personal relationship with Christ, had a perfect opportunity, and yet did not take it.

In the kingdom we all have a part to play, some plant, others water, what happens when one fails to do their part? 

How many times have we missed a soul because we said "someone else will do it, or has done it?"  

How many people have missed the last opportunity that a person might have to know the love of God?

Who are we missing by failing to love the hurting, and failing to shed Christ's love in the broken places?

As I finished praying God brought to mind this scripture in Joel 2:25 That He can restore back the years..."  Praise God that He cares more about the lost than I have.  I don't want to wake up one day, and stand before God and answer for those who fell through the cracks of the kingdom because of a failure on my part.