Raw, Brash, and Earthy
Theme of the Week: Someone to Shape
Phil Downer
Monday, July 15, 2002
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Raw, Brash, and Earthy
Theme of the Week: Someone to Shape
Monday, July 15
Key Bible Verse: Some of you were just like that, but now … you have been set apart for God (1 Corinthians 6:11). Bonus Reading:Philippians 3:17-21
Claude was a third generation Christian, saved at a church youth camp at about seven, married 20 years to a godly woman, and employed by one of his city's most stable banks. He was accustomed to his bank's loans being defaulted on by people like Eric, who continually hurt his department's profitability.
With an attempted suicide, a past problem with alcohol, and the experience of having made and lost a million dollars before he was 30, Eric was a mess-but a saved mess. He'd spend time with the Lord, thank Him for his salvation, and deeply sense being in the Spirit, and then go out and do the dumbest things you can imagine. Eric was going to heaven but making hellish decisions enroute.
Claude and Eric met in bankruptcy court during Eric's business collapse about a year after he came to Christ, and 18 months after his second divorce. I encouraged Claude to meet with Eric, but my encouragement was always met with, "Phil, I have no idea where this guy's coming from. His stories make me sick. I feel totally inadequate in dealing with Eric's rawness, brashness, and earthiness. The man is totally ungodly." [continued 7/16]
—Phil Downer in Eternal Impact
My Response: Someone like Eric, whom I feel ill-equipped to deal with, is …
Thought to Apply: A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.
—Henry B. Adams (historian, author, 19th century)
Adapted from: Eternal Impact (available from phildowner@dnaministries.org) by permission.
Copyright © 2002 by the author or Christianity Today International/Men of Integrity magazine.
Click here for reprint information on Men of Integrity.
July/August 2002,Vol. 5,No. 4
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Lord, I want to help another man to seriously follow You. Please help me get started.
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