This was the edited phrase I heard and watched come out of a man’s mouth as I was walking down the street praying for the lost people in Chiang Mai.
Christian and I were praying and walking by a lot of bars where women were selling their bodies in exchange for money. As we passed by one of the bars, a drunk man was talking to one of the women. As we passed, I heard him yell as clear as day, “I’ll f*** you tomorrow!” and then drunkenly staggered away.
I turned with my blood boiling ready to honestly fight somebody.
I couldn’t tell you the last time I was this angry.
The instant I began to turn, the Holy Spirit convicted me.
It was as if the Lord said to me instantly, “Holly, you have no place judging him.”
While that man’s actions and words may have been wrong, heinous and disrespectful, it was quite obvious something was missing in his life.
He needs Jesus too.
The anger came and went; the conviction from the Spirit came and stayed.
I grabbed Christian’s arm and told him I wanted to sit and pray for a little while.
Overwhelmed by the emotions and the Lord’s presence, I began to pray for the woman we had just heard be verbally assaulted and for the man who did the verbal assaulting.
You see, I lost sight of a few things up until this point.
Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
John 3:17 For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.
Here’s my point:
Yeah, this man said a terrible thing and I don’t like that he said it, but Jesus still loves him and so I’m going to love him and pray the Lord draws him to Himself.
Here’s why.
I can’t judge him based on my beliefs when he doesn’t believe them.
Who am I to say how lost he is?
I’m not a judge.
How could I rightfully say anything other than Jesus loves you and He will change your life if you let Him?
I couldn’t.
Thank you Holy Spirit for convicting me and changing my heart. Help all of the people we have met in Chiang Mai who don’t know You to come to know You. Bring them to the place they need to be to know You, Lord. It’s in Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
