Wait. Is this some kind of joke?
Not exactly. But it is pretty much what
happened one night in the bar of a hotel in Indianapolis...
A few years ago a young Canadian studying
ministry at Kentucky Christian College (now Kentucky Christian University)
traveled to Indianapolis for a two-day national gathering of preachers. He,
along with other students, anticipated hearing outstanding preaching in a
gathering of more than four hundred men.
The student's name was Jacques. But, since he
was named after his father back on Prince Edward Island, everyone who knew him
just called him Junior.
It was a little after midnight and Junior was sitting by
himself at a table in the little club having a drink on the main floor of the
hotel.
Typically bad club music was playing. The atmosphere was also the typical dimly lit mixture of well-oiled conversation and laughter. Junior sitting alone, slowly writing notes to himself on the napkin the waitress had left along with his drink. He was feeling pretty depressed at the time.
Typically bad club music was playing. The atmosphere was also the typical dimly lit mixture of well-oiled conversation and laughter. Junior sitting alone, slowly writing notes to himself on the napkin the waitress had left along with his drink. He was feeling pretty depressed at the time.
At some point, this man, who had been looking
at him for a long time, walked over to his table. He stared at Junior, leaned down, and
smelling of beer and whiskey, angrily asked, "What in the hell are you
doing here?"
Junior was speechless. He had never seen the guy before in his life. Then, the man sat right down right by Junior and slowly leaned over and asked the same question again.
Junior's blank
look finally made it clear to the man he needed to explain some things. "I know what you are. I saw the sign in
the lobby. I know what was going on here
earlier tonight. And I look over and see you in this bar. I know you're one of them. So, I'm going to ask you one more time. What
are you doing here?"
Junior, who had an amazing gift at not being
rattled in tense situations, used the question to began a long conversation
with the angry intoxicated man sitting next to him. He discovered the man had
been active in church as a child. He had even told his mother once the he was
going to be a minister. She had been so proud of him. But, then he got
sidetracked by bills and business and life. He stopped going to church and
started going to clubs. He had a good job. He traveled, but he made good money.
But, deep inside, he felt a nagging sense of regret. Some vague notion of what
his life could have been. It was, as I said, a long conversation.
Junior listened a lot. He talked a little.
Finally, they bowed their heads and Junior prayed for the man.
As I heard the
story, honestly, I kept thinking of that scripture the commands, "Avoid
the very appearance of evil." (1 Thess. 5:22) And, so, what have we got?
In a bar. Having a drink. Midnight Friday. Not the best of images.
But, there was
this other scripture in there. You know
the one. "Why does your teacher eat
with tax collectors and sinners?” But when Jesus heard it, he said, “Those who
are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what
this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the
righteous, but sinners.” (Mt. 9:11-13)
So, maybe it's
exactly where he needed to be.
Oh, and the
drink, if you're wondering, was a diet Coke.
And the note he was writing on the napkin when the man interrupted? It was a depressing moment and it simply
read, "Over 400 preachers in this hotel right now, and no one here to
share Jesus."
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