The pastor and Ronnie, one of the men of the church, went out visiting to invite people to church. Rev. Styles thought it would be a great learning experience for the young new Christian. He was hoping Ronnie would get his feet wet in witnessing, since he was so on fire for God.
The only problem with that idea was the fact that Ronnie didn’t particularly have a good reputation in the community. Therefore, the two men were met with questionable glances. They weren’t even invited into one house! This had never happened to Rev. Styles before during visitation. He was somewhat bewildered.
Finally, at the last house they visited, a young, tall, thin man introduced himself as Bobby. He listened intently to what the Rev. had to say. He even shook his head in agreement all the while. When Rev. Styles stopped talking, Bobby asked, “Bro. could I have a private moment with you in my living room before you go?”
“Well, of course,” the reverend smiled from ear to ear, anticipating he probably had a new convert. WInking at Ronnie, he explained, “These situations are often private matters. I’ll be just a few minutes.”
However, once inside, Bobby raised his finger in the face of Rev. Styles and exclaimed, “Bro. I’ll tell you one thing. I know I’m not perfect. I drink too much and I cuss quite a bit. But if that guy you are running around with is going to Heaven, I know I am too! So you can just save yourselves another trip to my house. I don’t need to go to your church to put on a show like he is doing. I’m not a hypocrite!”
Rev. Styles marched out of the house, covered his bald head promptly with a black hat, and swiped his hand across his dejected face. “Ronnie, you’ll find that not everything is as easy as it seems, but God will work it all out,” he explained.
The two walked in silence all the way back to church until Ronnie explained, “Bro. I know you had your heart set on leading that man to Christ, but I also know what you were up against. The last time I saw that man was a few months ago at the bar. He was making a ruckus and a doggone fool of himself. I saw the likes of the man I had become myself. I guess you could say it scared the living Devil right outta me! I knew right then and there that I had to change. That’s how my wife and I ended up at your church.
Rev. Styles patted Ronnie on the back and replied, “I’m glad God led you out of that bar. Let’s pray that he returns for Bobby.”
As human beings, we tend to look at others and compare our righteousness to theirs. Honestly, we like to think of all those people that we are better than in certain areas. However, we never truly know the righteousness of another person. Furthermore, Christ is the only one, the only one, the only one, was I clear? Christ is the only one we should compare ourselves to because he is the only perfect one among us!
We are all indeed equal at the foot of the cross! Thank you Lord! Well, I’ve just had myself a moment!
Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?
2 Corinthians 13:5
