"So we're going to now very briefly look at examples of law to the proud and grace to the humble," Steven started to flip through his Bible again. His eyes moved to and fro. "Luke 10:25...Luke 10:25. In Luke 10:25 we see a certain lawyer stood up and tempted Jesus. This is not an attorney, but a professing expert on God's law. He stood up and he said to Jesus, 'How can I get everlasting life?' Now, what did Jesus do? He gave him law. Why? Because he was proud, arrogant, self-righteous. Here we have a professing expert on God's law tempting the Son of God.
"And the spirit of his question was, 'And what do you think we've got to do to get everlasting life?' So Jesus gave him law. He said, 'What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?' He says, 'Ah, you should love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength; love your neighbor as yourself.' And Jesus said, 'This do and you shall live.'
"And then the Scripture says, 'But he, willing to justify himself, said to Jesus, 'Who's my neighbor?'' The Living Bible brings out more clearly the effect of the law on the man. It said, 'The man wanted to justify his lack of love for some kinds of people; so he asked, 'Which neighbors?'' See, he didn't mind Jews, but he didn't like Samaritans.
"So Jesus then told him the story of what we call the 'good Samaritan' who was not 'good' at all. In loving his neighbor as much as he loved himself, he merely obeyed the basic requirements of God's law. And the effect of the essence of the law, the spirituality of the law (of what the law demands in truth), was that that man's mouth was stopped. See, he didn't love his neighbor to that degree. The law was given to stop every mouth and leave the whole world guilty before God."
I nodded. I felt like I had to write it down, but the message was so convicting, so truthful, that I figured it was impossible to forget it.
And besides, I didn't have a pen and paper with me.
Meredith took over. She took the Bible from Steven and skimmed through. "Similarly, in Luke 18, verse 18, the rich, young ruler came to Jesus. He said, 'How can I get everlasting life?' I mean, how would most of us react if someone came up and said, 'How can I get everlasting life?' We'd say, 'Oh...quickly say this prayer before you change your mind.' But what did Jesus do with His potential convert? He pointed Him to the law. He gave him five horizontal commandments, commandments to do with his fellow men. And when he said, 'Ah, I've kept those from my youth,' Jesus said, 'One thing you lack.' And he used the essence of the first of the ten commandments: 'I am the Lord your God...You shall have no other Gods before me' (Ex. 20:2–
3). He showed this man that his god was his money, and 'you cannot serve God and mammon' (Mt. 6:24). Law to the proud."
I nodded.
And then I thought. "But what about grace?" I asked.
Meredith smiled, and I knew she must have waited all day for that question.
"Then we see grace being given to the humble in the case of Nicodemus in John 3. Nicodemus was a leader of the Jews. He was a teacher in Israel. Therefore, he was thoroughly versed in God's law. He was humble of heart, because he came to Jesus and acknowledged the Deity of the Son of God. A leader in Israel? 'We know that you've come from God for no man can do these miracles that you do unless God is with him.' So Jesus gave the sincere seeker of truth, who had a humble heart and a knowledge of sin by the law, the good news of the fine being paid for and 'For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son.' And it was not foolishness to Nicodemus but the 'power of God to salvation.'" She explained.
I felt tired now. All the new information made me think a million things at once. But one summation I came up with and that was I agreed. I knew it was all truth. And I knew I had to do something about it before it was too late.
Meredith, Samuel, Steven, and Trey all figured I needed to get some shut-eye. They said good-bye a few seconds later and promised to come back tomorrow.
As soon as they closed the door behind them I prayed. "I'm sorry for wrongly presenting Your gospel to people who needed to hear it. I'm sorry if I must have made the wrong impression on them. But I know the truth now. Use me for Your truth, God. Give me compassion for people, compassion that You have. Help me love them like You love them, serve them like You serve them. Help me rescue them from the coming wrath. In Jesus's name. Amen."
I felt better already. I smiled at the thought of telling Liam about the ten commandments and telling him there is a Savior who already paid the penalty for our sins and lived perfectly for us so we wouldn't have to go to hell.
I couldn't wait till I get better enough to talk to him and witness to him. That night I smiled at the assurance that I was going to tell Liam about God the right way.
***
"Sit up," the doctor instructed. She was really pretty. Her blond hair was pulled tight in a ponytail and she had bright green eyes. She reminded me of the girl I liked back in fifth grade. She wore a stethoscope around her neck and her lab coat was the cleanest I've ever seen.
I sat up straight. There was a slight pain in my side. I told the doctor about it and she said it'd heal after a few days. She did more checkups and finally said I was all set to go home. But no baseball until I feel the strongest.
Meredith applauded timidly. Trey and Samuel kidded around and started to pull me in a headlock, but not after the doctor scolded them. Steven handed me a chocolate bar, which he told me would give me strength.
Of course, I spoke of the name that never escaped my mouth.
"Where's Liam?" I asked. "He can go home now too, right?"
Meredith was the first to give me the look. Then Trey, Samuel, Steven. And then finally the doctor.
"Liam Kirby," she said.
I nodded.
But before she could speak, Meredith chimed in, "Charlie, we should have told you this right away."