“Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” Matthew 7:22-23
Walking into a restaurant, my eyes immediately locked onto a man who, as memory serves, had played high school football with one of my sons… though I couldn’t remember which one. I distinctly heard him say, “Hi K.C.,”which threw my confused memory into a tailspin. I could not remember his name or anything about him!
He was sitting with his wife and daughter, and a man who wore a Venice High School football shirt. I didn’t know HIM either! His daughter appeared about 6, so I said, “SHE is BEAUTIFUL!” He smiled. When we sat down, Katie asked me, “Who’s that?” I said, “You know… he played football with one of our boys.” She looked confused.
We talked about it, Katie maintaining that she didn’t know the man. Which made me try digging a little deeper for the connection. When we got up to leave, I paused at his table and said, “I’m sorry… maybe it’s my age, but I don’t remember your name.” He said, “Jarrod… and you’re Bill, right?” It turned out, neither of us knew each other!
He HADN’T said my name, I just THOUGHT he did. And while he LOOKED like someone I knew… he wasn’t. I find ‘memory fishing’ a more frequent habit the older I get, and ask Jesus to help me remember as the years get stacked up. Today’s verse is a sad story about a scenario that many will find many people… permanently disrupted.
I also met a ‘John’ yesterday at Lowes. Commenting on his being named after a famous book in the Bible. He actually confirmed “that’s where I got my name!” His grandmother was a Christian and had suggested it. Asking him, “so are you a Jesus guy?” He responded… “not really!” I highly suggested he go read ‘HIS’ book… carefully!
Jesus did NOT pull any punches. In fact, no one in History was ever more clear when He said, “I AM The Way… The Truth and The Life!” ‘There is no other,’ was His claim. I can either believe Him and act on that truth, or deny His claim as a lie. But His judgment of me WILL be based upon MY reaction to His Words. Are YOU a Jesus person… REALLY?
