9/20/18 James (click here for video) 20's
Wednesday I met an amazing young man named James who has
come through some pretty dark places in his young life. Both of his parents have died, and when he
moved from Wisconsin to stay with his grandparents in Chicago, his grandfather
also died. He has been overcoming his
disability, lost over a hundred pounds, and is very actively involved in the Special
Olympics at our local park.
Through it all James has come to a wonderful place of trusting
God’s love and care for him in small and big ways. He believes he will be with God in heaven one
day, and although he can’t really articulate the Gospel, and although I can’t be
sure he really understands it, I personally believe he will.
When asked why he believes he will go to heaven, James began
to tell of his good deeds like so many self-righteous people do. But although it sounds like he trusts in his
own righteousness rather than in the righteousness we can only find in Christ,
being able to articulate our faith is not the litmus test for salvation. Only God knows the true heart of people, so
the only reason I try to discern the spiritual understanding of the people I talk
to is not to judge them but to know how to best spend the few precious minutes
I have to talk with them.
For James, these moments were even shorter as I could tell
it was about to start raining any time.
How best to spend the few remaining minutes of our conversation? I briefly shared the Gospel, not necessarily
because I think James is not saved, but simply because the Gospel is worthy to
be shared, whether the hearer is a believer or not.
The good news of Jesus is meant to be repeated, because
through it we glorify the Lord: “I will
glory in the Lord; let the afflicted hear and rejoice. Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt his
name together.” Psalm 34
James refused to take a basic Gospel tract from me, saying “I
basically know all that anyway”, so I had to settle for a simple verbal
reminder for him to trust in Jesus rather than good works. Whether those we talk with have simple trust
or theological correctness, naïve confidence or honest ignorance, quiet
indifference or vocal opposition, the Gospel is worthy to be shared whenever we
have the opportunity.
PS – James graciously allowed me to record our
conversation, which can be seen in its entirety HERE
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