By Harold Keller

A few weeks ago, a lady whom I’ve known for many years, called me about her troubled son. She shared with me that he was a heavy drinker, had recently been in a motorcycle accident, and was suicidal.  We agreed to meet the next day over a cup of coffee.  The young man came limping into the coffee shop as a result of the accident.  

After a casual introduction, I found out that he was 33 years old and had a seven-year-old daughter who lived with his mother.  He admitted to being an alcoholic and also an illegal drug user.  I asked if he was suicidal as his mother had suggested and he admitted that he was.  

We spoke of his daughter and you could feel the love he had for her.  “Does your daughter love you?” I asked, and before he could answer, his mom said, “She adores him.”  

As the 30-minute conversation progressed, I asked if he believed in God.  “No,” was his reply.  I then smiled and told him that was good news.  I could see I surprised him and continued, “You’re in a better condition then most people who go to church every Sunday.”  He looked puzzled and then I said, “Many people who attend church regularly out of duty believe there is a God, but act as though He doesn’t exist.”    

Before we ended our meeting, I shared my faith and told him, “Tonight, when you go to bed, tell God that you really don’t believe He exists, but if He does, to please reveal Himself to you.”  

I then left him with this about his daughter.  “You’ve admitted that your life is a mess.  Let me warn you that if you don’t change your life, the Bible warns that the sins of the father are handed down to his children and grandchildren.  It’s possible that your daughter could inherit your sins, or marry someone just like you are today.  Would you want that for her?”  “No, not at all,” he replied.  We agreed to keep in touch.

The next day, he came with me to a men’s Bible study.  Sunday, I was at a Little League baseball game and he came and sat next to me.  “Doing OK? I asked.  “Yes, doing pretty good.”  

His precious, pretty little daughter was with him.  “Do you love your dad?” I asked.  She smiled and said, “Yes sir.”  

He told me that he had been alcohol and drug free for two weeks.  I then asked, “Do you realize that you could have been killed in that accident?”  “At the time, it really didn’t matter, but now it does,” he answered.  

I really don’t know if he now believes in God, but his mother told me that a few days later, while shopping, she was shocked when her son mentioned God.

If you have any questions, or comments, please write to Get High on Life, P.O. Drawer U, Reserve, LA 70084, call 652-8477, or e-mail: hkeller@comcast.net.