A Knock in the Night

My whole family heard the knock on our front door that night in late February, and we all looked at each other with puzzled expressions. There was no car outside that we could see. So who in the world would be knocking on our door after sundown on a Friday night?

 

I pushed our two dogs out of the doorway and walked on the porch to see what looked like the spitting image of my son two or three years from now. It was uncanny. The young man explained how he was selling candy for a program that helps him stay busy after school so he doesn’t sell and do drugs anymore.

I was only halfway listening. All I could think about was how much this kid looked like my son, only two years older. I was thinking about my son possibly making bad decisions like I did and getting into drugs and alcohol at an early age.

Right then I said to myself, “I know I’m probably never going to see this kid again, so I’m going to talk to him like he is my son from two years in the future.” That might sound weird, but that’s what I did.

I asked him if he was a Christian, and he said he went to church but had never been baptized. I asked why not, and he said he didn’t think he was ready. So I asked what he would say if he had to stand in front of God to face judgment that night. He said he would tell God that he loves his mom.

I’m sorry, but that was one of the funniest responses to that question I’ve ever heard. After we both stopped laughing, I asked if he had ever stood in front of a judge. He said no. I have, so I told him about my experience of getting an MIP when I was 20. And I said how my love for my mom was of no consequence to that judge.

A crime was committed and I justly deserved the punishment of a fine, community service and several mandatory AA meetings. Similarly, if we have lied, stolen things, sinned sexually, and other forms of not loving our neighbors as ourselves, we deserve the just punishment of eternal death and destruction (See 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 & Revelation 21:6-8).

Next, I asked him if he had ever heard the phrase that Jesus is our lawyer. He said yes. So I told him that Jesus is better than any lawyer that anyone could ever meet, because Jesus won’t just stand up in court for you and plead your case. Jesus is much better than that.

Jesus is a defense attorney who willingly gets on death row so we can walk out of the courtroom free. Jesus lived the life that we should have lived and died the death that we should have died. And if we’re willing to give our lives back to Him, He will give His life into us in the person of the Holy Spirit to transform us to be like Him. That is an amazing attorney bringing incredibly good news! 

We spent about 20 minutes talking outside on the porch. I didn’t buy any candy from him, but I did give him some money and pray with him. It was awesome how quickly God took me from a place of frustration to compassion. It was also a good reminder of how everyone, even that person at the door, needs to hear the gospel, and how God will give us the words if we will give them the time.  

From Jerusalem, twelve men went out into the world. These were uneducated and of no ability in speaking. But by the power of God, they proclaimed to every race of men that they were sent by Christ to teach the word of God to everyone. – Justin Martyr 160CE, Volume 1, p. 175