This post may be a bit raw. It's supposed to be, so if you're offended easily then don't read it.
He has spent the last 20 years of his life addicted to Crack and alcohol.
20 years.
I get frustrated when I struggle with something for 5 minutes. I can't even wrap my mind around 20 years of trial. This guy has seen his friends die from overdoses. He has seen his family destroyed from the effects of the drug abuse, and had been in and out of rehab facilities more than 15 times.
About 6 weeks ago, he walked into the doors of our church campus (which happens to be located in a bar). He revealed to me the night I sat down with him that the only reason he came to check out the church was because he was hungover and he thought he might be able to get a Bloody Mary during service. He was a little disappointed to find out that we didn't serve alcohol during church.
He described to me in detail how over the weeks following his first visit to our campus, that his life has done a 180.
These are his words......
"My life was a f***ing mess"
He began to well up with emotion and he paused.
"Something happened to me when I stepped into the church.......I have never clapped to a worship song before. I never really focused on a message before.......I even gave some money in the offering plate for the first time ever."
We laughed for a minute.
"Jesus has changed me and I don't have to feel sh*tty anymore."
"I am getting my sh*t together and I'm going to help other people find help and hope."
"I'm Effin' changed"
This guy was a Christian in the most raw form. Too young in the faith to care about his word choices. Too excited about what Jesus was doing in his life to care if his word choices offended me. Basically he lacked the artificial facade that some of us seasoned Christians have developed over time.
.......AND I LOVED IT!!!!!
Now......I don't swear, and if I am in a room of people throwing around swear words like it's going out of style, it usually doesn't take long for them to recognize that I'm not participating.
It's easy to get prideful about it too, so last week made me think to myself......
Would Jesus rather be in a room with me carefully selecting my words, or....
Would Jesus rather be fielding uncensored f-bombs from the excitement of the transformation that He alone is responsible for?
Reflection on this makes me want to thank Him that I am Effin' changed.
