Something happened at work today that shocked me. I thought it would be very interesting for all of you to hear about what went on.
To begin...
We had a regular customer come in today. She comes in everyday and gets the same mocha. Double cupped because she doesn't like having a sleeve on her drink. She is a kind person and makes regular small talk with me. We tend to stay on light subjects such as weather, football, or golf. Furthermore, she is generally in a good mood.
However, today when she came in I asked my usual, "How are you doing today?"
"Not good," she replied, "The Ike is shut down again because this stupid person was walking... 'WALKING' (throwing hands in the air) on the highway and got hit and died. Now there is only one lane open and I am so late for work."
I stood there and wanted to throw the five dollar drink in this lady's face. Someone just died! I am terribly sorry this is so inconveniencing for you. But what about this persons kids? Or wife? They have to deal with and are probably dealing with right now as I am typing the death of their loved one.
I stood there as this customer was complaining about how it wasn't the drivers fault because it is illegal to walk on highways thinking to myself, I wonder why this person was walking on the highway. Did their car break down? Did he have a car? Why didn't he take the bus? Could he afford the bus?
These thoughts were whirling around in my head until I realized that the customer was still pretty upset and complaining.
As soon as he left the next customer in line said, "yeah that's tough."
"I know right," I returned, "I hope the family is ok."
"Yeah I hate it when I am late to work."
AHHHHHHHH
What has happened to us? Where are we as a society. A person dies and the only thing we care about is the fact that the Eisenhower went down to one lane for an hour. It saddens my heart that people today can't feel for each other. We can't or don't care about the repercussions of death.
Which brings me to the more frightening and even more sad part of my story.
Was this guy a believer?
Did he go to heaven?
Does his family have hope to see him again some day?
It says in Romans that ALL have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Did this guy know that fact? Had anyone ever talked to him about Christ?
It is sad that in Wheaton, one of the most "Christiany," places in the world there isn't discussion about this man's eternal fate.
But this makes sense really. You see today's Christians don't want to talk about Hell. Everyone goes to heaven according to some modern day pastors. But I wonder, if someone had, had some courage to speak to this man about Heaven and Hell would there be any doubt that this man was going to Heaven.
Now I didn't know this man and he may have been a steadfast Christian but I have to wonder. And I have to voice the fact that this man had a good chance of not being saved.
But I also feel like I can't go around talking about how everyone is going to go to Hell if they don't become a Christian right now.... That rarely works.
But I can say that all have fallen short of the glory of God but he has a FREE gift of eternal life for us.
This idea leads me to more questions.
Why don't I tell people that?
Christ's story is a story of hope and I think that Christians like me need to be willing to become a little less comfortable and a little more confrontational and tell people the reality that they will be going to Hell if they don't believe in Jesus and only Jesus as their savior.
Today was weird. I have never thought about the eternal ramifications of physical death. Unfortunately, we can't convince everyone who dies that Christ is Lord but that doesn't mean we can't try.
