Hermano,
Yo quisiera llevar a muchos de estos Christianos a los barrios donde
you vivi, en el spanish south Bronx de New York, para que ellos vean
lo que es persecution. A few years back I visted my old childhood neighborhood,
and along with me there were family members that had never seen this
part of the world. Some of them walked very closed to me for fear that
something or someone was going to jump upon them.
My old neighborhood had changed, and it wasn't for the better. I don't
know if you have ever been to some of the mean streets of Chino California,
or perhaps to some of the down and out drug gang infested neighborhoods
of downtown Detroit and many more City's like them. Maybe to the worst
streets of America, like Palm Bay Florida? Bro, persecution in many
of these neighborhoods is about putting you inside a trash can with
your bible stuck up your you know what, and never be heard of again.
6 months after I turned religious in 1979, I decided to drive 2000 miles
to New York City to share my John the Baptist style message. I spent
two weeks condemning the heck out of people. I didn't really know at
the time what persecution really felt like. But being that I was known
in my old neighborhood I didn't think people would mind bringing them
the bible message. I was ready to convert every drug addict, every prostitute,
every gang member and what have you into a saint.
I had a mission, I had the guts, I had the sword (word) and in my mind
there was nothing or no one that could stop me. It was a sort of move
over David Wilkerson, here comes bad boy, street smart, preacher man
Eddie. Well, to make a long story short, I got my you know what kicked
in more ways than one. When I drove back to Colorado, I drove back sick,
tired, beat, angry, disappointed, frustrated, shaking, fearful and right
down messed up in my mind.
It felt as if a pack of wolves had skinned me alive and sucked out my
blood. It took months to recover from all sort of emotional stress and
the only one to blame for what I brought upon myself, was yours truly
self-righteous, legalistic jerk. I later realized that I had deserved
everything that I had experienced in New York by attempting to be a
John the Baptist, and going around in ignorance condemning to hell the
very people, in the very neighborhoods I grew up in.
Then, to top it all off, and because I wanted everyone to think how
holy and righteous I had become, I flat out lied in Church a few Sunday's
later, and boasted about how I had gone to the devil's territory and
comfronted the forces of evil and told them about the power of God.
I made myself look good, but never really told the truth about what
really happened to me, and how I got the you know what kicked out of
me. No...I painted this nice picture of victory and got the people all
excited giving praise to God for my lie.
Yet, not one person got saved during my so called missionary word message
to the street drug and gang infested gettos of my visit to New York
City. But being that I had this tough macho, karate expert reputation,
and had the sword of the Spirit to protect me, I thought that nothing
or no one would resist me, so off like a fool I went to convert people
to God with the message of hell, fire and brimstone. But the end results
and the outcome were devastating.
Some of these so called religious Christian bad boys that talk a big
game about how they gone to the local nice street parks to lead people
to Christ, have no idea what persecution is. I wish I had the money
to recruit some of these young religious punks and take them through
a journey to some of the places I still visit in my old neighborhoods,
and let them see and experience what real persecution is. Legalism preaching
will get you kill.
I have shared the Gospel of God's grace with many of these old time
neighborhood friends, and the response has been one of a smile and a
look of surprise when I have told them: "Hey bro, God loves you
just as you are and for who you are, and He is never against you but
for you." I don't give them no witnessing 4 steps to salvation
tracks or anything like that. I just show them and share with them the
simple Gospel truth of grace, love and peace and move on. I just plant
a seed of Goodnews.
Today's gripe about "we are being persecuted more than others and
the government needs to put a stop at this unfairness treatment of Christians"
is a bunch of cry baby crock. If you can't handle the heat then stop
creating the fire by going around judging people to hell, rejecting
them and isolating them from the very freedom that God has provide for
them Christ Jesus, and the very unconditional love and forgiveness that
has been extended to them also. Persecution? Ha! The real persecution
is coming from the idiots that think they know the Gospel.
Grace N Peace
Eddie