Once upon a time, long, long ago….actually it’s only been months, but I needed to get your attention. Now that I have it, I’ll continue. Sadly, this is a true story. Some of you may not believe it. Trust me. This wasn’t easy to write. The details such as names and locations do not matter. It’s the heart of the story that needs to grab your attention.
The main characters in this story are a man and his wife, fifty-ish, and a younger man in his late thirties. The couple and younger man saw each other at the same public place, and one day the younger man showed interest in the couple conversing in bible study. He was invited to join in. He said he would like to sometime, but had some other engagement presently. So he showed up again the next day, shared a little more about himself and his girlfriend, and about how much God had blessed him. Again, he had something that took him away from beginning the study and was gone. The next time the three saw each other, the woman asked the younger man if he wanted to be sure he had an eternal home in heaven. He countered with, “You know, that’d be great–but– I kind of like the way things are now.” Shortly after that, he joined in the couple’s conversation about the Lord, and the older man tried to discern where in the bible the younger man needed to be to help him in his struggles and relationships.
Arrangements were made to meet for bible study together the following day, but the younger man didn’t show up. A couple of days later he came inside but left quickly. Just before leaving he told several others that the couple were his “good friends” because they understood him. “They get me” he said. The older man went outside and found the younger man having very angry words with someone and cursing him.
Three days went by, and the couple hadn’t seen the younger man. They next received word that the younger man was killed the previous afternoon. Violently stabbed to death multiple times in a public place. His life here on earth was over…just like that…gone. He never gave the couple an answer whether or not he had made the decision to accept Christ as his personal savior. The woman’s husband told her that had been what the younger man meant when he said that they “get him.” That they knew he was leading two different lives. He was being pulled in two completely different directions. He was serving two masters–and Satan was winning. Maybe he had won. This was terribly hard for the couple to accept. Maybe if they had tried harder to win the younger man over, thereby pulling him from the other side. Maybe they would have succeeded in that tug of war, thus winning a soul to Christ. This was devastating for the couple.
In the days that followed, the couple had heard stories depicting the younger man’s lifestyle leading up to the stabbing. People who knew him said that he lead a different way of life. The couple were disheartened and weren’t sure what to believe. It was unfathomable to think they could do no more for the younger man except pray for his soul.
The couple later found that the younger man had two grown sons who were living a life of violence as well. It made them more aware of the bible’s truths that the hairs on our heads are numbered, and that we can’t add even one day to our life. Not one of us knows the day we’re going to die. Not one of us knows if we have another day to make the most important decision of our lives. It would be good right here if I could say “and they all lived happily ever after” but they didn’t. There was a senseless death– due to the pre-conceived anger of another person. And this individual took this blinding rage into his own hands, ending the life of another human being. Yes, he was caught and went to jail. And he still has a chance to see heaven. You all know this, right? If this man repents, turns his life around, and follows Christ–he will be saved by our loving Heavenly Father from the fire pits of Hell. He still has time to make the decision. FYI–we as christians have the responsibility to pray for this man to have the opportunity to be led to Jesus. We don’t have the right to hope or pray that he dies a violent death as well. Vengeance, in the life of a christian, is the Lord’s. He will repay. We probably won’t live to see it happen, but we have to trust that it will. The decision to accept or reject Jesus Christ as savior and Lord of our life, is ours. He won’t force us. We make the choice. He wants us to come to Him willingly. What an awesome privilege it is to serve a living God.
As sad as this story was to write, maybe you know of someone who either doesn’t know Christ, or hasn’t made “the decison.” I’m asking that you not assume there’s plenty of time for you to share your faith with others. Or maybe you don’t know the savior of the world. Through the internet, it’s easier than ever to access all kinds of websites, download music to your MP3 player, listen to podcasts on your SmartPhone, or any number of things. I’m asking you to do yourself or someone else a favor by learning what you can, so you or a friend or family member can make this decision. But before you make it–consider the alternative of living without knowing and serving our God of love.
Hell is a real place, and it’s not pretty. Do some research. Find an online bible if you don’t own one, and search biblical passages using the keyword “hell“ and read the descriptions in those passages. Be informed. Be armed with knowledge. There is no time to waste. Do not, please do not take this lightly. Jesus is coming again for “His church.” You or someone you know will want to be part of it. Read the “Left Behind” book series or see the movie.
Make this decision yourself or tell others about the information you found during your search. Please understand that this was a tough story to write and relate to you. I wrote it with a goal in mind…to inform, and to help you or another make “the decision.”
Thanks for viewing.
STOP HERE, I WANNA GET OFF! 