HAROLD KELLER

Forgiveness is one of the hardest parts of the Christian walk in life

About three months ago, as I was speaking to a young man at a drug rehabilitation center, I asked him his age. He said, “I will be 40.” “In other words, you’re 39, as of now,” I said, sarcastically. “Thirty-nine years of age is a special time in my life,” I shared, “because that’s how old I was when I got sober! If you live to be 66, as I am, and don’t drink or use drugs again, you’ll have 27 years of sobriety. If God did it for me, he’ll do it for you, if that’s your desire.” He said that it was. Since his discharge from the rehabilitation center, he’s called me many times. Last Friday he called and told me he had just celebrated 90 days of being clean and sober. He also was concerned about his dad who was in the hospital with heart trouble. “I really love my dad,” he said, trying, maybe, to convince me. “He has a lot of bad in him, Mr. Keller, but also some good. He was mean to me when I was young, but I have to forgive him, right?” he asked. I agreed. He continued, “He used to whip me with a razor strap, or anything he could grab. The worst thing was when I saw him coming down the levee, shaving a switch with his knife. I knew I was in for it. Of all the whippings, the switch hurt the most. It would leave whelps on me wherever he hit me. He also drank a lot.” He told me that he started drinking at a young age. “When I was 12,” he said, “I got drunk and my dad filmed it. My family still looks at the film and laughs at me in my drunken stupor.” After hearing all that, I asked him what good he saw in his dad? “Oh, Mr. Keller,” he said, proudly. “he showed me how to work and how to help people. He wasn’t all bad.” “How are you doing with your walk with Christ?” I questioned. (At the rehabilitation center, we had prayed for Jesus to be the Lord of his life.) “Pretty good! Sometimes, I’m afraid I lose it,” he answered. “You never have to,” I said. “Just keep your eyes focused on growing closer to God.” “I will, Mr. Keller,” he assured me. Saturday night I was at a meeting at the same drug rehabilitation center that I met my above-mentioned friend. When the meeting came to an end, I asked, as I occasionally do, “Any comments or questions? Does anyone have any resentments they need to get rid of?” One guy raised his hand. “Yes, I do. I hate my dad and he’s been dead over five years. He was mean to me and I can’t forgive him.” I’m a firm believer that God gives us what we need, when we need it. The call I received last Friday was just what I needed to share with this guy. After sharing it with him, I said, “If my friend can forgive his dad, who is still alive, I don’t see how you can still hate your father.” He agreed. “Thanks for sharing, Mr. Keller,” he said. I closed the meeting by telling the group that our earthly fathers are human and will, at times, disappoint us. Our heavenly Father, on the other hand, will never disappoint or forsake us. HAROLD KELLER writes this column as part of his affiliation with the Get High on Life religious motivational organization. Call him at 652-8477.