The Great Con Job

I had an interesting phone call today from someone who called "looking for advice" but really wanted to argue. They were talking about how sad, lonely and miserable they feel and wanted to know how to get past the guilt and shame they feel. As I began telling them about the love, mercy and forgiveness I'd found in Jesus, they began verbally sparing with me about how Christians were weak, needed a crutch and so on. I let him go on for a bit and finally asked, "If you think that we are weak, need a crutch, can't deal with the real world (and so on, feeding his own words back at him) then why did you call a pastor of a Christian church for advice?" He responded how he had seen me around and noticed a peace about me that made him curious. He added that he had asked someone about me and they told him that I had a pretty messed up life "before he found religion." He wanted to know how I turned my life around and found peace with my past. Again, I began telling him about Jesus and he became quite agitated with me. I told him that if he really wanted to know, then he needed to let go of all his left wing, anti-Christian rhetoric and actually listen to what I was sharing, because it was in Jesus that I had found freedom, peace and forgiveness.

He cussed me out and hung up.

Since that phone call, I've just been sitting here thinking about our conversation, and I'd laugh if it were not so sad. It's like a man looking at stove on fire and the fire is spreading to the kitchen, and all the while someone trying to give a fire extinguisher, and he refuses it, saying, "I heard those things don't work." His house will burn down while he stands and watches because he is unwilling to try what others tell him will work. That is a snap shot of so many in this world. They've been told Christianity will not work... and even when staring the evidence that it does work in the face, they will hold onto what they've been told. Satan is pretty smart. He has convinced the blinded masses that we (the Christians) are the weak ones; that we are idiots, that we don't have a life... and they stand and watch their lives spiral out of control, laughing at those who have found peace. Pretty smooth con job he's pulled off there.

After talking with this man today I was reading my Bible and this is what I came across that wraps up my conversation with the man. I hope he some how finds his way to this blog. If not him, maybe someone else will be helped by it.

It is found in Psalm 32:

Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sin is out of sight!

Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lrod has cleared of guilt, whose lives are lived in complete honesty!

When I refused to confess my sin, my body wasted away, and I groaned all day long.

Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me.

My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat.

Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt.

I said to myself, "I will confess my rebellion to the Lord."

And you forgave me! My guilt is gone!

Therefore, let all the godly pray to you while there is still time, that they may not drown in the floodwaters of judgment.

For you are my hiding place; you protect me from trouble.

You surround me with songs of victory.