Interactions with God #28
In the second year of my experience in Houston, I bought an old VW Super Beetle. I bought it for $300 from a girl, who was the sister of the fiance of a guy I worked for now and again named Dave Lawery. Dave was a great guy and owned a cabinet shop. He was a solid Christian man and a charismatic Catholic. At the house, to make ends meet, we would do odd jobs from time to time. Not only did this pay the bills, but it also offered some of the teens a means to learn a trade. Dave, who was connected with Ray through another guy named Mark, needed an extra hand. I was willing to help. So, I worked for Dave part time for a while.
Dave's fiance was named Mary Ellen. Both of them were giants. Well, considering that I am 5 ft 6in, everyone is a giant to me. Dave was over 6 feet and Mary Ellen was close. They were interested in fixing me up with Mary Ellen's sister, who was, unlike them, not a giant. I never really hit it off with her, but I did buy her old VW Bug. It was a great car, and of course the first thing I did was to put in a better radio.
On one of the days that I was heading out to Dave's shop in order to help out, I was listening to a Christian radio program. One of the teaching ones. The guy taught about how we should fear God. I had heard many messages like this before and did agree with what he said. But It was what he didn't say that bugged me...how are we supposed to fear God? You see, once the program ended, I realized I didn't fear God. Why would I? I wasn't living in sin. I knew he died for me. Why would he hurt me? Yet I understood that the scriptures do teach that we should fear God. It bugged me enough to want an answer...so I asked the source.
Right there in the car driving down the road, immediately after the program ended, I turned the radio off and spoke to God. “I don't fear you. I know I am supposed to, but I don't. What does it mean then to fear you?” He responded and it was right at that moment when I finished speaking. He just quoted a scripture. I knew it already, but until then, I didn't understand the depth of what it meant. He simply said, “Depart from me, I never knew you.” Ouch! I then understood what it means to FEAR God.
For those who don't already know, the passage is a quote from the book of Matthew Chapter 7. It is in reference to the Separation of the Sheep and the Goats. It refers to Judgment Day. Those who are accepted (the Sheep) are those who loved God and showed that they really did so by how they treated others. Jesus said that how they treated others was how they treated him. The Goats, who will hear “depart from me” are those who really didn't love Jesus and showed it by their poor treatment of others. Now, this poor treatment wasn't because they were rude or mean or critical toward these others or as he calls them “ the least of his brothers”. No, they were judged because they DIDN'T do nice things, that they should have done! For anyone who justifies their ill treatment of others, this passage should be a serious warning!!
I wasn't treating people badly. I also was doing things for the least. I was after all living in a house giving the shirt off my back for those in need. Yes, I did give my own clothes more than once. So, did I have anything to fear? That was not the point, though. You see, the point was simple. The fear was not the fire of hell. The fear was not the punishment. The fear was the rejection. “I Never Knew You”. That scared the hell out of me! It would be like coming home and hearing Martha say, “I don't love you, and never did”. Yea, ouch.
You have to understand. If we fear God, because we fear losing our relationship, then we HAVE the proper fear of God. You know, the one that the bible says is the beginning of wisdom! This keeps us on the right path. Then and only then will we have a better heart toward the least of His brothers. Why? Because we really love Jesus!
To be honest, the thought of hell would be nothing to hearing Jesus say something like that. In fact, I would sprint to the very cliffs of hell to end that walk of disappointment and rejection sooner. But as the scriptures teach, just the very fact that I am afraid of that circumstance, shows my saving faith and love. As long as I remain in that, I will walk accordingly and never hear Jesus say “depart from me”. No, If I remain in him, I am assured to hear the phrase we should all want to hear...”WELL DONE, My faithful servant!”