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Jim McGuiggan, in his book, Jesus, Hero of Thy Soul, tells a story of an alcoholic who, though he lived on Skid Row, always insisted he had been a successful businessman before he hit bottom. He smelled bad, looked bad, and dressed bad, but he always told stories of better days when he was respected, wealthy, and had influential friends. His fellow drunks didn't believe a word he said. "You were always nothing, you're nothing now, and you'll never be nothing!"
One day while he was bragging of his past, he saw an apparently successful man walking down the other side of the street. Desperate to do something about his situation, he claimed to know the man and said that they had been friends in his "better" life. What a mistake! His friends called him a liar and demanded that he "prove it!" What could he do? He had to do it! He hurried across the road, and quietly begged, "Please mister, I'm sorry to bother you, I don't want any money, but please, will you pretend to know me? Please?"
"A quick glance at the gawking friends told the man what had happened, and he sensed the desperation in the one before him. He let out a whoop, threw his arms around him, slapped his back, nearly shook his hand off his shoulder, and said (loudly, so they could hear), "I haven't seen you in years. I wondered where you'd gotten to. How on earth are you managing?" He took him down the road, cleaned him up, got his hair cut, suited him up, fed him till he thought he'd burst, and put some money in his pocket. The rich man went on his way and the drunk back to Skid Row, but now he had substance for his stories. This man had refused to be ashamed of him."
I deeply admire those who have never had to experience the depravation that sin brings, the pain, the embarrassment to oneself and family for having acted, or lived in certain shameful ways. But, may it never be said of us that we give the impression that somehow people that miss life in the pigpen are somehow at a disadvantage.
But, aren't we glad that there was Someone who came, who refused to be ashamed of us? He doesn't offer a meal, clothes, a bath, and a temporary release, but he offers us Himself, his name to wear, his complete and permanent cleansing, and a permanent home-we need not go back to our personal Skid Row. He calls us to live with our sights on Him and on our heavenly home above.
The writer to the Hebrews has this to say, "Both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers"-Hebrews 2:11.
What great news! I don't care how far you think you've gone away from God. Jesus came to stay and to say, "I've been there...and I forgive you...and I'm not ashamed to call you "family!" Oh, what a Savior!
Tom Nuckels |