Careful

I have got to learn to be careful. I was just in a service at Falls Creek listening to a powerful evangelistic sermon thinking that I hope some of the students around me get this message.

Toward the end of the message I noticed a young man about 3 rows up from me that I was especially concerned about. This young man had long dark hair parted in the middle. His black t-shirt was emblazoned on the front with a white skull with red lightning shaped letters around it. He wore black "bondage" pants with straps and chains all over them. This kid needed this message...BAD.

When the invitation came I kept my eye on him. I don't know if I was concerned about the security of the camp or this young man's soul, but I did watch out. Another young man on the same row began moving toward the aisle in response to the speaker's call, but he had to pass the kid in black to get to the aisle.

Maybe, I thought, this kids response to the message will help the kid in black have the courage to react to the holy spirit's call on his life. Maybe this will be a good thing. Maybe this will work. Finally, the second kid passed the kid in black and made it into the aisle. He took a step and then the kid in black reached out and grabbed the second kid, keeping him from progressing any further down toward the front of the tabernacle.

I sensed danger. Why was this kid stopping someone from responding to God's call. I could not understand it. I was confused. It was at that moment of confusion that I saw the kid in black give the second kid a great big hug and then pat him on the back to send him on down the aisle to the front. The kid in black then turned to his group, gave a big victory punch to the sky and yelled, "Yesss!" to the rest of his group. This kid then grabbed several other students that were still standing there and began praying.

As I watched this young man lead his group in a prayer of thanksgiving for his friend, I humbly and quietly asked God to help me be more careful about judging from appearances.