It’s a Good Show

Make 2014 a year of Sharing

“Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”” – John 11:25-26

For 24 years he had sat in that pew next to his Grandmother, Mom and Dad, brother and sister.  He stood when they stood, he sang when they sang and he did all the things you were supposed to do when you were in church.  He played the part perfectly and everyone thought he was the nicest young man.  What they didn’t see was the lifestyle outside of the church walls between 9A and Noon every Sunday. The partying, the sex, the drugs and the drinking were not part of his charade, they were the real thing.  Then late one Friday night, he held a gun in his hand and charged into the gas station asking for their money.  As he turned to run out of the door he felt his knees go limp just before he heard the sound of a shotgun from behind the counter.  He fell in a pool of his own blood, staring at the concrete sidewalk just outside of the Texaco gas station in this small town.  As the police surveyed the scene and zipped the body bag closed, one of them could be overheard saying, “Man, his folks are such great people; where did this one go wrong?” 

Amazing Grace was played at the funeral and the local Pastor gave the eulogy.  Friends and family gathered around the grave site as the casket was lowered into the ground.  Condolences were given to his family along with words of comfort, “At least he’s in a better place now.”  Really?  How do they know?  Is this just the thing you say at the funeral regardless of the reality demonstrated by a person’s choices in life?  Then a young woman stepped up to hug the mother.  Her words were soft, and filled with sincerity, “I’m truly sorry for your loss.  Did he know Jesus?”  The mother replied with, “Of course, we were in church every Sunday since he was a boy.  I was saved at 12, his father was saved at 14, both of our parents were baptized right down there in the river by the old church.  We are a believing family young lady.”  And with that the young woman nodded her head and gave the mother a soft embrace.

Oh so many times are we caught guilty of believing that our children are saved because we are, or that our parents have experienced salvation because we have.  The reality of it is that every single person is responsible for their own decision to believe or not believe in Jesus Christ as their Savior.  You cannot get to heaven based on your mother’s or father’s testimony and redemption, nor can you based on your spouse’s salvation experience.  You alone must choose if you accept Jesus Christ as the Son of God and profess your faith in His redeeming grace.

If your loved ones haven’t experienced God’s saving grace yet, you should be praying for them daily.  You should be sharing your faith with them that they might also come to an understanding and acceptance.  Is there any greater gift you could ever give your children, your spouse, your family or friends?  Don’t assume that because they sit in the pew, are polite to others and know the routines that they indeed have a relationship with Jesus Christ.  They cannot ride your coat tails to eternity with the Father, but you can help them and teach them along the way.  Choose today to fully know those around you, and take the opportunity to help them see.


© Sondove Enterprises, 2014
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