01/26/24 THE LONGER YOU WAIT...

01/26/24 THE LONGER YOU WAIT...

Many years ago, as we were driving up our driveway, we saw a neighborhood boy coming out of our house. When he saw us he started running away. Some items of little monetary value taken, but they had personal value.

Though I confronted the boy, he denied everything. I liked him because he actually was a pretty good kid and had always been polite. He knew we saw him coming out of our house and he knew we cared about him. Disappointed he did not do the right thing.

Many years later, I saw him online and greeted him, asking how he was doing and wishing him the best. He did not respond. Again, I was disappointed.

So, what is my point? Sometimes when people mess up (including sinning), they have an opportunity to do the right thing immediately, but choose to just move-on. Sometimes those same people have an opportunity to do the right thing later, but refuse.

The neighbor will not be kept out of heaven based on my attitude. I forgave him, basically as soon as it happened. He owes me nothing. However, he robbed himself that day and he has robbed others since then.

No, the monetary value was not great. But this has nothing to do with temporal value. In fact, this account is of no importance, except as an illustration of an important Biblical principle. It has to do with making right decisions.

Through the years I have watched people shut God out of their lives. As a Christian and as a pastor I have thrown the lifeline many times to the same person. Hopefully they will call on Jesus to save them. But, the longer they reject Him the less likely they will ever turn. But even if they eventually turn, it will be after they have wasted their life, and after they have left a heap of broken lives in their wake, and after they have watched loved ones die, without having been reconciled or healing the wounds they inflicted.

I hope the little boy in my illustration grew up to love and follow Jesus as an adult. But there are so many more who have grown up and hardened their hearts.