Urban Reformation

Yesterday my wife had the opportunity to go spend time with a friend, which afforded me the opportunity to take the children to the park.  We brought our dog along with us, Nitro.  Little did I know that Nitro would be such a conversation piece.  As the children ran over to the new playground equipment at Budd Park, in North East Kansas City, Missouri, I had person after person come up to pet him and say hello.  I had thought to perhaps read while I was there sitting at the bench watching the children burn off some of their energy but so many people kept coming by to chat about the dog, and before I knew it I had a gentleman sitting next to me.

His name was William.  I didn’t get a last name, but he was a Veteran who served in Vietnam.  He said his family has disowned him, his life isn’t of much value, but spent much of his conversation with me attempting to tell me of his value.  I could see him attempting to grasp at his worth or value, his need to be recognized as loved by someone, but without recognizing Jesus.  He then proceeded to admire our Lab and then as we were sitting there, I asked him what he thought this life has after here.  He said he wasn’t sure, he grew up Baptist, but didn’t know that his parents were baptist until later.  ( In other words,  William had grown-up in a third generation baptist home. ) (More on multi-generational faithfulness later)

William was somewhat intoxicated and as the conversation progressed, his level of inebriation progressed, because of the bottle in hand.  We started off with much clarity however.  I asked him if he knew the gospel, and like so many men he knew the mechanics of the gospel word, and had heard the gospel given, preached, spoken.  I asked him if he knew why Jesus died?  And he said yes, because God required a perfect sacrifice for his wrath to be satisfied.

I was really in shock for some time at his coherent answer when it came to not just articulating that Christ died for sin, but that God requires a perfect sacrifice.  He obviously didn’t learn his theology from a Jehovah’s Witness, but from someone who seemed to have somewhat sound Christian theology.

William then proceeded to tell me that he had lived with a minister for 8 months during his life.  And he had learned and understood much  “Christianity stuff…..” but  what he couldn’t seem to understand was the fact that while he lived in the basement of the minister’s home, the minister treated his wife like dirt.  He spoke down to her all the time, he held himself up to be special and self-righteous, he never came down to the level of anyone else.  There was nothing his wife could do right, and the way that he spoke to her was horrible.

Topics changed at some point for a moment, William said he had a decision to make this evening, he was thinking about going to a VA home where he could rest for the remainder of his life, because he said he didn’t have long in this world.  I spoke a little of Matthew 7, about fruit, but spoke to him about trust in Christ.  Not trusting in his drink or the things of this world.  When we were done I prayed with him, and there were some tears, but I wasn’t sure if they were from the alcohol or from God softening his heart.  I pray the latter, yet I do not know.

Williams “Life Philosophy” however, he didn’t get from the bible, but he got from the apathy of life, the depression of being unwanted, when he feels as if there is little to live for, and all that was worth living for now, is gone.  He took his favorite saying which he lives by from a Doris Day movie, “Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be).”  This is William who lets life happen to him now, he’s understood the gospel, he says he believes, and yet, he doesn’t believe.

And though he knew the mechanics of the bible for whatever reason God hasn’t seen fit to show William that he’s in need of a savior, he understands that in a sense “Whatever will be will be” yet at the same time he takes little responsibility for his own life or the things happening to him, ascribing his lack of true faith in Christ to those whom claimed the name of Christ but did not live it out eg. the minister whom he lived with while he lived in Oklahoma.

Last night’s encounter brought conviction to me, and to my life.  It had me examine how others view my life, with those possibly watching.  Not only with my spouse, my children, but with strangers and neighbors, with co-workers and friends.  When I speak the name of Christ, of the Gospel, of discipleship and the like, how does my life demonstrate my belief? or does it repulse, what about being self-righteous, proud, dogmatic, insincere ?

It’s only the Holy Spirit in us which provides us with the “Care” for others souls in eternity, and it’s only “Him” who moves us to action, to speak to them about Jesus, I can claim no part in it.   I pray God grant us belief, strength, and will power to overcome the flesh, the apathy, the pride.  We are so prone to apathy, to not care about anyone but ourselves here in the U.S…., may God grant us intentionality, and purpose as we seek not to live Christianity out of a programmed legalistic life, but to bring the gospel to bare on everyday life because of Christ.

From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.  For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. -2 Corinthians 5:16-21

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