I heard the knock at around 2:00; threw the already propped door open, and found two gentlemen, (one grown, one still growing), both dressed in shirt and tie. The older gentleman, wth red pants, blue shirt, and a faded brown briefcase, fumbled around for a how-dee, and when we had said our rehearsed hellos; he, obviously not looking for me, asked if the people occupying the house were the same as a year ago. I went through a list of 20 names, until i came upon patrick, which sparked a brightened expression from his face, and to which he asked if I might find him. I did my best to get a hold of pat, but when he was not to be located, the younger gentleman, with brown pants, green shirt, and black shoes asked if i might be interested in having a little Bible study with them. I fumbled around for a way to say yes without sounding suspicious, thereby revealing the "10,000 ways with which to stump your foes", so avidly playing in my mind.
The next 45 minutes would be spent in complete and utter futility. Why on earth I am under any sort of an impression that men, with obvious intentions, knocking on my door, would ever recant and submit to the reasoning of the very one they presumed to be un-enlightened, is well beyond me; but yet we sat, (at least I did) on Mango's front lawn, like snakes playing dead, pretending to hear eachother's thoughts with sincerity; all the while keeping hidden our real agenda; the secret ambition that we might bare our poisonous fangs of "Biblical understanding", into the necks of our newly alleged "brothers on quest for truth's", anticipated slip of tongue; All the while, through our actions, we abandon the same gospel that we swear to know so much about, and thereby betray the One we've fought the last 45 minutes to justify.
3 comments:
i couldn't agree with you more- if i were in your shoes i would definitely be feeling the futility of the interaction. however, i also strongly believe that the true gospel- Christ, whom God himself was pleased to share all of His fullness, took the very nature of a servant and allowed himself to be crucified so that he could rise 3 days later so that we would never die- yes i believe that this gospel is so powerful that it cannot return void unless it isn't true. but again, i believe it is true and even though your actions felt powerless- the Christ you spoke of is indeed powerful.
I was just thinking about you this morning...and lo and behold I find that you've joined the blogosphere. Small world. I still get to read your writing from the other end of the earth, which makes me happy. If only you could explain once more the significance of the beam, then I would be very happy indeed.
So glad you're blogging, Michael. I look forward to reading a lot about salmon and nets this summer! I'll always think of you with such great respect and friendship.
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