The Message
February 26, 2008 | faith
A group of teens showed up at my door one day. I was 14. I wish I knew where they were today.
I owe them an apology. . .
They were acquaintances from school. My mom let them in to my bedroom. They were with their pastor. The awkwardness was tangible in the small 8′ x 10′ room.
“Umm, we wanted to invite you to our youth group,” one said.
“We’d also like to talk to you about Jesus.”
And they did.
This is where the apology comes in. I didn’t want to hear about Jesus or God or faith. I was angry at God, if there was one. And the scriptures they were sharing about Heaven and Hell didn’t move me, or even make sense to me.
I didn’t know the story about Noah and the Ark. I didn’t know Jesus. All I knew is that life was hard. My family was fractured. And I didn’t know how to fix it, or them, or me.
So, I didn’t respond–not one word. They said their piece and I turned away. I gave them nothing, and finally they left.
I can only imagine the scene afterwards. Teens standing outside the door to our home on Latimer Street.
“I told you that I didn’t want to do this!”
“She doesn’t know us. She’s the quiet girl at school. Why did we pick her? I think she’s mute or something.”
“Let’s go get pizza. This isn’t working.”
“Why did we memorize those scriptures anyway?”
I’m sorry. I really am. Wherever you are, I want to thank you for trying. I don’t why you picked me, but I’m thankful that you did. I love the fact that you wanted to tell me about Jesus. I know it took boldness to knock on my door.
This morning as I read my Bible, I turned to 1 John 1. It was written by John the Apostle. Disciple. Friend to Jesus.
He starts it like this:
We proclaim to you the one who existed from the beginning, whom we have seen and heard. We have seen him with our own eyes. We have touched him with our own hands. He is the Word of life. (1 John 1:1 New Living)
I love this. I see John in his role as an apostle when he says, ”I proclaim!”
I announce. I share with you. I want the whole world to know.
I see John, the friend to Jesus, when he says, ”I have seen him with my own eyes. I have touched him with my own hands.”
Jesus is real. He loves you. He reaches for you in the darkest circumstances. He walks with you. He cares about you. I know this to be true because he impacted my life. He was my Savior, but also my friend.
I see John the believer when he says, ”He is the Word of life”.
He is powerful. He is hope. He offers abundant life.
While I’m grateful for the teens who cared enough to knock on my door, I wish they had just talked to me.
What I needed to know then was who Jesus is. Did he care? Did he know I existed? Was he real? How can you know?
I think our most powerful “witnessing” tool is to share our stories.
When I was 15 I didn’t believe in God. I asked if he was real, and I discovered that not only was he real, but that I mattered to him.
When my son was hit by a drunk driver my whole world was shaken. I didn’t feel God, and yet I knew he was there. Why? Because he had always been there. I had seen him with my heart. I had felt his touch over and over again.
As a believer, knowing Christ affects the direction of my life. It brings peace. I find strength and absolute joy in his presence.
What is your message?
And can you think of someone who might be waiting to hear it?
just my random thoughts, Suzie
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