Dear Theophilus:: December 2003

The Amazing Life of [?]

"The amazing life of [Pro-Football Player]", the article reads in ESPN magazine, his face beaming widely on the front cover with "iced-out" fingers declaring "PEACE". The first of the three page piece dramatizes his story of poverty - how he grew up in the ghetto, with no father and six other siblings to care for; how his mother worked back-breaking jobs here and there, yet could still barely provide. He recollected memories of difficult nights hearing gunshots, screaming and then sirens blaring next door - just a typical night in his neighborhood. Black and white pictures splattered throughout the layout showed off his cute face in tattered clothing clinging innocently to his mama's finger with captions reading, "I'll never forget where I came from."

"But my life has NEVER been the same!"

With a turn of the page the story changes from "down-and-out" to "rich-and-famous". A jaw dropping shot of him lying on top of his "Baby" - a bright yellow Massarotti - with arms out stretched before his collection of Ferraris and Escalades - commands your attention. A list of assets from a multi-million dollar mansion in LA to his $100,000 diamond necklace in the shape of a crucifix (even with a little dying Jesus) draped around his neck fills a column. "It reminds me of what it's all about!" You could almost picture his finger pointing up to the air, eyes looking up with possibly even a tear welling up on the edge.

And without even a slight change of tone, his assault charge and impending trial is mentioned. His sullen and handcuffed picture marks the location of the singular section devoted to this "blemish in an otherwise amazing career". And as always - on the bright side - what an amazing season he had with a career record of touchdowns and yards.

February 1994, University of Pennsylvania, 34th & Walnut, Hill House dormitory, room 108…. Life was purposeless for this freshman occupant, but it sure was a lot of fun. It was a typical weekend: Friday night KSA "Fusion Party" at Gold Standard, as usual, and then S?? on Saturday night. "Get to do what I want!" he thought as he began his rounds. When the evening waned and morning started creeping in, he finally called it a night…slipped quietly into his room to not wake up his roommate…and rolled into bed. He held his Bible for a moment. "Maybe I'll read it. It's been awhile." But, as usual, he tossed it to the side with a heart that had only a vague conception of eternal futures. And so again, the night ended with him sitting on his bed, wondering who he is as he drifted off to sleep.

"I'm not sleeping until you tell me if I'm saved! There has to be something more than this." He felt restless and empty, doubtful yet hopeful, but the situation seemed overwhelmingly impossible. The same thoughts ran through his head every night, always ending with the same conclusion: accepting that salvation is by faith ALONE seemed too simple. "There's gotta be a catch. Where's the fine print?!"

But to know that sins could be forgiven THAT easily was an amazing thought. To be able to say and KNOW, "I'm going to heaven if I die today," for the first time was the greatest feeling I've ever experienced. A load…no…more like an anvil…was lifted off of my shoulders. "I am going to heaven if I die today!" What an amazing truth, yet one that is SO INCOMPLETE if it does not lead to a second fundamental truth:

A black sloping hill is outlined by a bright red sunset. Three matching black crosses are standing on top. A man is walking up the left slope - shadowed and bent. What was seen, and what was heard? "This Jesus is God." The one who died for us was not just some man named Jesus. For what it matters, his name could have been Brian. But that guy walking up that slope was God who became a man to die for me. God didn't just send somebody else because He was too afraid or unwilling to make this sacrifice. He came. "Great, we're going to heaven!" But we must realize that the greatest treasure is found in our relationship with Christ - the One who not only saved us, but LOVES us - not just in his sacrifice.

"And my life has NEVER been the same!"

But how will this story end? We ALL have our rags-to-riches stories, but how will it end? We ALL have been taken from spiritual depths worse than any ghetto and given riches beyond our imagination, but how will it end? They all say, "I'll never forget where I came from" while living in their Beverly Hills mansions, but how will it end?

I pray for ECF and for myself that we will never forget the beauty of our salvation. We are CHRISTIANS and that means A LOT more than what we think. I pray that ECF will never forget and will always live lives that HONOR Him - not by pointing our acknowledging fingers up to Him in front of the cameras - but by living a life that is Worshipful behind our closed doors. THERE IS NOTHING GREATER THAN THIS…