September 24, 2019 – Click here to listen
Well I got a ton of response yesterday when I announced that I have stepped down as CEO of The Jesus Alliance. In fact, I got a mailbox full of wonderful correspondence from happy, joyful, Christians filled with peace and goodwill and just one from a foul-mouthed stinking atheist. Why these guys follow me is beyond me. I suppose it gives them a way to vent their frustrations against the God who loves them.
The older I get the less tolerant I find myself of listening to their profane blasphemy and turning the other cheek. After reading a profanity laced e-mail where the “F” word was used to describe Jesus, God, and everything about me, I could not help but respond. I said: “I pray we never meet you punk – You should do likewise.”
He wrote back: “See, now that’s not very Jesus like now is it? But thanks for proving my point that all of you are just a bunch of #$*@&* worthless hypocrites. To which I replied: “Well buddy you are right that I cannot always represent Jesus as I should, but I am making progress. In years past I would have tracked you down and shot you right in that big mouth for insulting Jesus my God and me, but now I’m praying for you.”
I know – I know – that was not a very Christian thing to say or do on my part. I know that Jesus is disappointed in such behavior and in me. This individual is sick, and I should pray that he gets healed. Instead my flesh got the best of me and like Donald Trump does on occasion I just let it fly. The problem is that Jesus undeservedly gets the blame for my shortcomings as a follower of Him. He loves this poor tortured atheist and wants him to receive His love and forgiveness. He is full of grace and willingly forgives our shortcomings.
I remember walking through the French Quarter of New Orleans and a street preacher who was standing on a box and pointing his finger at me and screaming that if I didn’t change my ways I was going to hell. I knocked him off that box and pulled out my gun and put it right between his blue eyes and angrily snarled that if he ever said that to me again I’d kill him, and I almost did. Had he said, “Hey man, you look like you have something on your mind, can I buy you a cup of coffee, or can I pray for you?” Or if he would have simply asked, “Can I help you in some way?” I can assure you things would have turned out far different. Instead he condemned me and my answer to his statement that I was going to hell was, “Sure thing, right after you buddy!”
Am I that street preacher now?
I try to follow God’s commands, but very often fail. Sometimes I’m like a simmering coal that seems to have died out and then after a little poking explodes into flames. I pray God will pour cold water on me and forgive me and strengthen me to avoid similar episodes. At any rate thanks for all the well wishes yesterday, it means a lot to me. I never did understand why God called me to establish The Jesus Alliance, and always felt there were others far more qualified to represent Him than me with all my faults and sordid background. I hope to learn why He chose me when I’m with Him in heaven. Until then my goal remains to improve and not regress.
Colossians 4:5-6
Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity. Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person.