A pastor in this quiet, picturesque New England town opened his doors to a
convicted child killer who had served his time but had nowhere to go.
You can read the article here.
Is this good Christian charity or just plain irresponsible? Would you want this in your neighborhood? Would you open your home up to someone with this history? WWJD?
3 comments:
"What have I done, sweet Jesus, what have I done
Become a thief in the night, become a dog on the run,
Have I fallen so far, while is the hour so late,
That nothing remains but the cry of my hate,
That cries in the dark, that nobody hears,
Here where I stand at the turning of the years.
...
Yet why did I allow that man,
To touch my heart and teach me love,
He treated me like any other,
He gave me his trust,
He called me 'brother.'
My life he claims for God above,
Can such things be?
For I had come to hate the world,
This world that always hated me.
...
Instead he offers me my freedom,
I feel my shame inside me like a knife,
He told me that I had a soul.
How does he know?
What spirit comes to move my life,
Is there another way to go.
...
I’ll escape now from the world,
From the world of Jean Valjean,
Jean Valjean is nothing now,
Another story must begin!"
What Have I Done?, Les Miserables
Pipe down there, 24601. ;)
I think that this kind of reaching out must be done so very carefully. That said, if the pastor and his family feel called to do this, so be it.
I would say it like this. If you live in a winery, you don't offer to shelter a recovering alcoholic.
I sincerely hope that this man has experienced a sincere conversion and does not repeat past actions. In some strange way, I think possibly that if he lives in that small place with so many eyes watching him, he will have nowhere to hide. He will have a great deal of accountability - and oh, what an opportunity for a God-sized miracle as to the reconciling power of God!
Don't look for the follow up on the news though - all they sell is bad, bad, bad.
This definitely makes the case that true ministry is not for the weak! I'm still not sure I could do this . . .
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