Paths Not Walked

When I lost my job as a youth pastor, I also lost my fiancée.  My future father-in-law, siding with the church, had my marriage nullified (civil annulment of the license).  So, I managed to lose my job and my wife at the same time!  I was really angered with him; I was really at a loss with her as to why she put up with this!  But, I was in Mexico at the time and completely powerless to stop anything until long after it was a fact.

I should probably share that the reason I lost my job was because the elders of the church found out that I believed in the power and ministry of the Holy Spirit.  I am about the least charismatic person you will ever meet – however, I am the strongest believer in the power of God you will ever meet.

So when on Monday my best friend called to say he had stumbled into my ex-father in-law – I was really surprised.  I was more than surprised to hear that he had a message to give me from him.

I guess he is now 80 and been thinking about his life.  He came to the conclusion he had really shafted me and his oldest daughter (still unmarried and living at home).  He wanted to say he felt bad about what happened.  My friend shared other parts of the discussion to let me know what was going on and how to pray for him.

I was a little taken back.  How can you respond to an apology through a third person?  I realize the entire affair had been an odd arrangement; from almost being counter cultural by wanting a religious wedding to his pulling of favors with friends in the canton to quietly kill the license while I was away.  Nothing was normal about any aspect of it.

I mentioned last time we had all failed.  I became angry with God, I was down and felt I had then been kicked by God.  Udie turned out to be less than faithful as it was.  My then best friend betrayed everyone.  My in-laws could have gone to jail for what they had done – but if my “wife” was willing to go along with this, I was a loser already.  Especially in light of her activities with ex-best friend. 

What a mess.  But, I do wonder sometimes, when I become morose and introspective, how might life have been different?  What path would I have then walked had my Eldership been Godly, had my wife been Godly, had my in-laws been Godly, had my best friend at the time been Godly? 

Yeah, yeah, perfect world, I know…..