MCREST Notes: "Richard, the Blow-Harded"
I ate dinner with him twice during our MCREST Week. I sat on the couch with him in our "TV room." He seemed to "spot" me, as the "preacher amongst them." Although he asked Bible questions, he already knew the answers (or thought he did). He asked "surface" questions, which were intended to grab my attention.
When I began to answer, he jumped in, and twisted what I had said. Although I had clarified his perception, he re-stated his foregone conclusion afterward. I knew that he was not listening.
He sat in on ½ hour of my hour-long Bible class for one day only, and then left. Apparently, he already knew all of the answers. He was neither interested in growing, nor in expanding his Bible knowledge.
Both at dinner, and in the TV room, he regaled me with tales (and they might be true) of how he dealt with the church’s "untouchables," such as prostitutes, drug dealers, and inmates. He boldly told how he approached a prostitute on this given day with the message of Jesus, and how he gave her hope, and how he has ministered to several over the years, and has shown them a better way to live.
He boasted about how he got "down and dirty" with sinners, like Jesus did, and about how he was reaching people that "clean & snooty-nosed" church people (his implied characterization) would not approach.
One puts up with that kind of person for as long as one can, hoping that maybe such a person would show some sign of listening.
On Saturday, at our last dinner together, he "blew it" with me; I admit it! Because he had come to know and had spoken to one of our "stray sheep" in the street (a person too embarrassed to return to us), he "tore into" the church, that we were not doing our spiritual job.
The one he described had indeed left us about two years ago, and left no "forwarding address." My attempts to reach this person were met with "not at home" and answering machine messages not returned.
I obligated our guest to give my message that I have been looking two years for this person, and that I want to talk! I also told our guest that his accusation was way out of line, and it was not based on reality. He "backed down." He did not attend our farewell session. I hope my message got through.
Here was a man who is "wise in his own eyes." (Pro. 26:12) He needed to be warned (I Ths. 5:14). I guess that I may never know how I affected the life of the fella whom I, in my mental notes, have called "Richard the Blow-Harded." Hopefully, he will humble his heart to God.
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