Today I would like to tell you a story. It’s a true story about a young man whose life was completely and radically transformed exactly fifty years ago. It is a heart-warming story of hope for anyone who may be struggling to find true meaning and purpose in life, or anyone who feels lost and helpless in a world gone crazy.
The background of the story goes like this. In the opening scenes, we find a youngster who lives in a small Midwest town. He has been struggling to make sense out of his life. His parents were divorced when he was five years old. Uncommon in those days, his mother had actually left the family. He and his younger brother were to be raised by their father. The lasting impact of this event would only be fully felt much later, but the effects were immediate.
Our character in this drama had a relatively normal early childhood. He did well in school, had friends at school and in his neighborhood, joined the Cub Scouts and later the Boy Scouts, and was very active in sports. His father was loving and caring but tended to be rather distant and demanding. A few years later his Dad was remarried and the family charted a new course together.
As he approached his teen years, our boy began to feel tremendous peer pressure at school. This all took place in the sixties when American culture was in total upheaval. Rock music became entrenched in society. The sexual revolution and the feminist movement, along with the hippie and drug subcultures, all came to the forefront. On top of all this, the highly controversial Vietnam War was in full swing. With the military draft in place, the lives and futures of millions of young American boys were held in the balance.
Wanting to be accepted and part of the cool crowd, our boy gradually caved into the pressure. In complete disdain for those he viewed as hypocrites, he turned away from the church and secretly became a self-avowed atheist. The increasing pressure led him down a path of drinking, experimenting with drugs, vandalism, and other mischief.
As our young man entered high school, he found himself living a dual existence. Healthy family relationships and activities began to go downhill. He struggled with both his father and stepmother, causing them much grief. He lost interest in studying, preferring the excitement of all the partying and mischievous activities. His interest in sports, however, did not wane, and he experienced many successes in that regard.
As time went on, the main character of our story slipped further and further into a dark hole. Outwardly, all was fun and parties. Inwardly, a dark cloud began to form, which would eventually erode his sense of meaning or purpose in life. Disillusionment and depression began to take hold, as he struggled to maintain an appearance of happiness. Each month that passed brought a further decline.
Then one cold, winter night, something happened which would set into motion his final descent. On a dark, desolate dirt road, while drinking and driving with his best friend, our drunken young man lost control of his car and slid into a deep, snow-filled ditch. The boys were picked up by the sheriff and hauled into juvenile court. The penalty and probation that ensued resulted in him being ineligible to participate in sports, removing the last remaining positive element of his life.
As his downward spiral continued, he finally began to search for some answers. Since he had previously rejected the Christian faith, he began to investigate other religions. He devoted a lot of time, although secretly, to learning about Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Taoism, and many other faiths. Although intrigued, he found no solid answers. Eventually, his search turned to the dark side of the occult, and in his spare time, he could be found reading the Satanic Bible.
Having formed a garage band with some of his friends, our lost boy continued to try to cover up what was going on internally. His internal battles grew into a deeper depression, and he began to seriously contemplate suicide because of the ever-increasing despair. Then one day, out of nowhere, one of his friends in the band invited them to come to his house for a meeting with some “Jesus freaks.” He explained that these guys were hippie musicians who had changed and were now telling people about Jesus. Seizing the opportunity, our guy decided to go so that he could “tear them to shreds.”
Along with his friends, they went to the meeting. They listened. They argued. They ridiculed. But as the night went on, something started to happen. They heard things about God and about prophecies in the Bible that they had never heard before. A seed was planted in their hearts, and they were invited to come back the next week.
Something very strange began to happen that week. Our distraught, searching young man actually found a Bible at home and secretly took it to his room to start reading it. When his best friend discovered this, he said “What the $#*@! are you doing?” They talked more, though, and decided to return to the next meeting.
The next week things turned more personal. The guys leading the meeting started to tell their own stories. A strange presence filled the room as they recounted the message of the gospel and how Jesus had saved them, forgiven their sins, and given them a new purpose in life. For the first time, the true message of Jesus seemed crystal clear. The power of the message began to soften their hearts.
There was complete silence in the room. They then asked, “Would anyone here like to give their lives to Jesus Christ?” Immediately, our young guy said ‘yes,’ falling to his knees in the living room, to the shock of all his friends! Then, one by one, the others surrendered their hearts and lives to God that night. A miracle had happened. Their lives would be changed forever! Of course, this was not the end of the story, but merely the beginning of a whole new life.
I’m sure you are wondering by now, “Who is this guy?” And “how could he know that all this happened exactly fifty years ago, to the day?” The reason is that this young man was ME! I lived through all of this, and unlike my memory of some things, I remember these details vividly. The change brought to my life was instantaneous. My conversion to Christ was both radical and dramatic. How could I ever forget?
Now I am looking back, fifty years later. I know without a doubt that I was “born again” on that day. A spiritual transformation that saved me and altered the course of my life! Every year I remember this as my “second birthday.”
I share this story with you as a testimony of what God can do in our lives. I know that your story is different. My life has not always been easy. I have had my share of problems, mistakes, and stumbling. But my loving Heavenly Father has walked with me through it all. Jesus has been my faithful friend and companion. And the Holy Spirit has always been my guide, my strength, and my comfort. This is my story, and it’s not over yet! I sincerely believe that the best is still to come!
