THE UNOPENED DIARY

Neal Pollard

It appears that the perpetrator of last week’s massacre in Aurora sent his diary to a psychiatrist at the University of Colorado, from which college he had formally withdrawn the previous month.  It details meticulously what he intended to do.  It might have prevented the tragedy, a grievous, bitter thought in the aftermath of the carnage.  But, it was not opened until four days later!  It was found, still in the package, in the school’s mailroom.  Police said, “There were drawings of what he was going to do in it–drawings and illustrations of the massacre” (via TheDenverChannel.com).

We cannot know if the shooting could have been prevented, even if the package had been opened.  It depends on who would have opened it, when, and how motivated one might have been to alert police prior to the attack occurring.  But, in that the book was not opened, it had no chance of saving any of those who’s life was either ended or permanently changed.

There is another book that has gone unopened by the majority.  It is a book that details life rather than death.  It inspires hope and not fear.  It details, step by step, where we all came from, why we are here, what we are to do, and where we are going.  It has never failed to lead its readers to the best life now and the only desirable life to come.

If there is a tragedy greater than Aurora, this is it!  You and I have the opportunity to help people open the book by which they will one day be judged (cf. John 12:48; Rev. 20:12).  May we do whatever we can to help other people open the book of books.  May we open it ourselves, to govern and guide our own lives.  To do otherwise is the grossest neglect imaginable!

The Purpose In Life

Josh McDowell told this great story:

An executive hirer, a "headhunter" who goes out and hires corporation executives for other firms, once told me, "When I get an executive that I’m trying to hire for someone else, I like to disarm him.  I offer him a drink, take my coat off, then my vest, undo my tie, throw up my feet and talk about baseball, football, family, whatever, until he's all relaxed.  Then, when I think I've got him relaxed, I lean over, look him square in the eye and say, "What's your purpose in life?"  It's amazing how top executives fall apart at that question.

"Well, I was interviewing this fellow the other day, had him all disarmed, with my feet up on his desk, talking about football.  Then I leaned up and said, 'What's your purpose in life, Bob?'  And he said, without blinking an eye, 'To go to heaven and take as many people with me as I can.'  For the first time in my career I was speechless."

What a great answer!  Clearly, this was something Bob often thought about and actually lived.  Put yourself in this interview for a minute.  What would you have said to this executive headhunter?  Would you have an answer or would you fumble around trying to think about the right thing to say?

Many times we as Christians have been told about the purpose of life.  The problem is, we don’t take it literally.  We may know the right answer, but we don’t actually think it and live it.  Can something really be our purpose in life if we rarely think about it and don’t live it?  Certainly not.

Bob had it right.  Our purpose in this life is to get to heaven (Ecclesiastes 12:13; Matthew 7:21-27; 1 Peter 3:21), and take as many with us as we can (Matthew 28:19-20).  Let’s not just know, but actually LIVE the purpose of this life, “To go to heaven and take as many people with me as I can.”

"Visitor" or "Guest"

I have never attended a congregation who gets more "drop ins" than here.  Last night's midweek service, at which we had 223, included three non-Christians who were here either by invitation or on their own initiative.  Sundays always means even more individuals and families who have come in from the community.  What a golden opportunity this gives us as a church!

Last month, while attending "Affirming the Faith" in Oklahoma City, I heard Mark Taylor, preacher for the Memorial Road congregation, talking about what they have done to be more effective with "outsiders" who attend their services.  This would include all who are not members of that congregation--Christian from in or out of the area and especially non-Christians "seeking" a church home. His thesis question was, "How do we view these individuals? Are they 'visitors' or 'guests'?"  He then demonstrated the difference.  

He says a guest is someone for whom we have prepared.  We clean our house, cook a delicious meal, and light a candle for guests.  We plan for them.  We want them there and we invite them back again.  A visitor may drop by unannounced or unexpectedly. We may feel inconvenienced by a visitor.  Your treatment of them may reflect that annoyance or apathy.

We never want to have another "visitor" again!  That means we must treat all those who come in among us as guests!  Such is proven by the steps we take toward them.  It may not be easy to reach a "guest" sitting across the auditorium, but what about in our "section"?  Is there an unfamiliar face?  Greet them!  Help them find a classroom.  Take them on a tour.  Invite them to lunch.  Get the attendance card they filled out and drive to their home and tell them you were glad they were there.  Every "guest" has a never-dying soul.  Each of us is being handed an opportunity with eternal implications!  

Will you pledge, with me, to seek out and honor every "guest"?  Sunday is our next opportunity.  Let us make the most of it (Col. 4:5)!