Chapter 9 ~ Accepted By Grace

Uncomfortable.

It is the only word I can use

"My mind goes back to a trip to my college orientation. Chris was one of my closest friends, his father was an engineer and his mother was a zoologist. His father and step mother lived in Pontiac where I lived, his mother lived in California. He was a mix between a rich kid stuck in the inner city and a surfer dude with no brains. Our trip to Oakland University was proof that Chris fit both of those descriptions. Chris was pretty well off with that combination of parents so we were traveling to college in style, a totally restored 1972 VW Beetle. It had the most incredibly cherry red paint with black crushed velvet interior and the best sound system of the day. One thing it didn't have was a way out for me.

Chris decided to participate in a normal habit of his. He normally didn't do this around me but today seemed to be the exception. He lit a joint! For those who need interpretation, a marijuana cigarette. I immediately freaked out! My father had told me that if I got arrested he would leave me there until the law got done with me. He would not bail me out! I could see it now, we'd get pulled over for the radio playing rock music too loud, they would smell the pot and we would go to jail. Chris' parents would bail him out, I would be tortured in the back of the jail and never be seen by my parents again.

My response to Chris? PUT THAT THING OUT!"

As time has passed, I find myself less concerned with the "guilty by association" fears that once hounded my soul, but they are not totally gone.

Andy speaks well to the attitude I have carried, maybe you have too. "And let's not forget that Jesus didn't travel alone. Trailing behind him were...James and John, who once wanted to call down fire from heaven to consume a town because they refused Jesus hospitality (Luke 9:54)...Simon the Zealot...his name indicates he once associated with men who killed Roman sympathizers...The group also included Peter, who often engaged him mouth before his mind. What would these men say as they passed by Matthew's booth?" (Pg 132)

Do you feel that little tug on your heart, the question of the hour that requires us to double check our inner beliefs about those who are "not loyal". If you want to know how you should feel about the "traitors" just tune into CNN or Fox News. Opinions abound. Need a better fuel for your fire? Need to make sure you are "serving God" while doing right in your current political climate? Just tune into any number of preachers on TV or read any of the vast blogs written by people from all angles.

At this point I will leave you to think. This is enough to chew on for now. Look for the "rest of the story", when we will address the thoughts about Matthews contribution to the ministry that Jesus has then and now...

Till then, what is you thought about this paradox of thoughts, Jesus was totally God and human, 100% holy in his state of being. Why would he hang out with these "sinners"?

Will watch for your thoughts...