A True Friend?

A True Friend Tells You The Truth

Published on June 13, 2006 By KFC Kickin For Christ In Writing

We all have something we've read or heard that profoundly affected us one way or the other somewhere along the way. I have a long list but this poem especially spoke to me one day a long time ago. I have no idea where it came from or how I came to find it. It was written, I heard, by a football coach that had lost a player to death before he was able to share the gospel with him. As he mourned the death of this player, I imagine he must have mourned the lost opportunity as well.

My friend I stand in judgment now
And feel that you're to blame somehow
On Earth I walked with you day by day
But never dd you point the way
You knew the Lord in truth and glory
But never did you share the story
My knowledge then was very dim
You could have led me safe to Him
You taught me many things that's true
I called you friend and trusted you
But I learned now that it's too late
You could have kept me from this fate
We walked by day and talked by night
And yet you showed me not the light
You let me live and love and die
You knew I'd never live on High
Yes, I called you friend in life
I trusted you friend in life
I trusted you through joy and strife
And yet on coming to this end
I cannot now call you my friend.
-Hasting Stevens

Comments

EmperorofIceCream

on Jun 13, 2006

I've always been able to appreciate the well-meant (if condescending) concern of the honest and sincere Christian for the eternal welfare of the souls of others. And I can see how and why, for such a Christian, such a poem might be inspiring. Unfortunately, this concern walks hand in hand with a pernicious and entirely anti-Biblical judgment of the final state of others.

It's no part of the Christian to lament over something he or she can't know. Rather, as a Christian, you ought to hope that the subject of the poem found his way to God (his way, not yours) and rejoice in and give testimony of, the mercies of your Lord. In that way you draw others to what you believe in (by removing yourself and your judgments from the picture) rather than repelling them by the ridiculous, untenable, and prideful notion that somehow you are privy to what passes between God and a soul at the point of death.

It was this pervasive, repellant, smug self-satisfaction that (among many other things) finally succeeded in driving me away from Christianity. Now that I'm free of its dogmas and delusions this untenable certainty in matters that are patently unknowable becomes clearer and clearer to me in almost everything posted on JU by those claiming to be Christian. And its ability to revolt me grows greater each time I encounter it, to such a point that I will no longer tolerate it and will challenge it wherever I meet it.

KFC Kickin For Christ

on Jun 13, 2006

Well well well.....Mr and Mrs. JOYFUL have come to pay me a visit.

You know, you two are starting to grow on me.

We've got to stop meeting this way.

It was this pervasive, repellant, smug self-satisfaction that (among many other things) finally succeeded in driving me away from Christianity

so something happened? Did they kick you out for sinful behaviour? .You really should lay off the caffeine.

someone who has never even heard the gospel of christ goes straight to hell?

actually I think the point is about lost opportunities........it's coming from his point of view. As far as he knew the person he wrote about never knew Christ and He did but yet never shared what he knew.

The bible is clear that all have had a chance to come to the knowledge of the truth. Read Romans 1 sometime.

KFC Kickin For Christ

on Jun 14, 2006

well LW, you would presume wrong. But that's ok. I won't condenm you for it.

I have not presumed you had not read the bible. As a matter of fact I can see that you are somewhat familiar with it and are quite capable in findiing Romans 1. But studied it? Not sure about that. If I was going to guess I'd say, if you are/were studying it, maybe you're studying it for the wrong motives....but then it'd be only a guess.

Are you familiar with 2 Peter 3:16?

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