Stephen Crosby comments

Stephen Crosby

The following story is true. Names have been changed to protect the privacy of individuals.

James was a production floor supervisor in a factory. One day, he noticed one of the single mothers who worked for him, standing at her machine crying. He approached Susan and asked her what was wrong. Susan said: "My 16 year old daughter has been seeing a 25 year old man. I know they are having sex. I can't get her to stop, and every time I call the police they tell me there is nothing they can do. It's my word against theirs-unless they're caught in the act. I know that they routinely have sex while I am at work. In fact, they are at my home right now."

James looked at her firmly and said: "Don't move, don't go anywhere, I will be right back."
He then proceeded to find one of the biggest and baddest men in his department (Bill) and told him to leave his machine and come with him. James and Bill left the factory and drove to Susan's home. James told Bill: "You go around the back and wait on the back patio off to the side, by the back door. I am going to go in the front."

Bill went around back and waited. James burst through the front door, and found the couple engaged in sexual relations. The 25-year old male jumped up and ran out the back door, not knowing Bill was waiting. As the young man crossed the threshold of the back door, Bill grabbed him by the throat under the chin, physically lifted him off the floor, and carried him back into the kitchen and slammed him onto the kitchen table pinning him there. James got 6" from the young man's face and said:

"I am a man, a husband, and a father. I have a daughter. If you ever touch this girl again, I will beat the living hell out of you. Bill, you hold him, I am going to call the police."

James called the police, rehearsed the history Susan related to him and said: "I understand you need to catch him in the act. Come on over." Of all the "coincidences," a female officer happened to respond to the call! She looked the situation over, looked at James and Bill and said: "You were never here-get out-I'll take it from here."

James and Bill went back to the factory and told Susan that her problem was solved and she didn't have to worry about the matter any more. She looked at James rather stunned, stumbled for words, asked what he was talking about, and James simply told her the matter was resolved.

Well, as you can imagine, "word" of the event spread quickly through the factory. James got a call from the plant manager to come into his office. The plant manager asked James if the story he heard was true. James said it was, and if he had to do it again, he would. The plant manager replied: "James, that is either the bravest or the stupidest thing I have ever heard anyone doing, please don't do it again while your working for me!"

The moral of the story is . . .

How healing and therapeutic do you think it was for Susan to have a man, likely the only man in her life who has never taken advantage of her, lay down his life for her, with no consideration of personal cost to himself? James' actions could have cost him his job and perhaps jail for himself.

I must admit that when I heard James' story, I was convicted in a penetrating way. In honesty, I had to admit, that I probably would not have done the same, but rather I would have chosen my own safety over Susan's relief. I would not have laid down my life/job/career/future for her. . . and I profess to be a "mature Christian" . . . hmmmm . . . really? Maybe not as "mature" as I think.

James is not a "Christian" or a "believer' as we would commonly define it. However, there was more of the kingdom of God and more genuine kingdom pastoral ministry in his actions, than many Christians I know.

How can I say that? Because this is exactly what Jesus has done for us. We are called to do the same. He came . . . He got involved . . . the ultimate involvement . . . His involvement COST him . . . He laid down his life. Kingdom ministry will cost you.

Much of American Christendom is designed to assure personal comforts and ease rather than risking all for others. One of the most well known preachers in the country has said on his broadcast (an exact quote): "God wants to give you the good life" - as if God and the Scriptures exist to assure the personal peace and affluence of American cultural Christianity and its value systems.

A good shepherd lays his life down for the sheep . . . really lays it down. If there is no cost, there is no sacrifice. A good shepherd doesn't use the resources of time, talent, and treasure of people as fuel for personal ambitions while assuring himself the comforts of the American life.

We all have a choice. If you want the kingdom life, it may cost you the good life.

I would rather belong to a community with three men like James - rough, unpolished, crude, unsophisticated, who don't know the front of the Bible from the back, who can't explain the life of Jesus, but who actually incarnate it in their actions, than a church of 3,000 Bible experts who are too busy polishing their own personal piety and insulating themselves from the pain of their neighbors, whom they are mandated by the Lord to love as they would love themselves.

May Christ's Spirit help us all to choose the kingdom life, not the good life so that His life, might actually been seen on earth, and humanity would give glory to God. The creation is still waiting to see something, not be told about something.