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Topic: Black Sheep of the Family (10/03/13)
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TITLE: The Darkness Within | Previous Challenge Entry
By Deborah Sampson
10/04/13 -
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“I have changed, big brother, and it’s why I wanted to talk to you now. If I can get you to understand, I may have hope with the others. I especially want to tell Mom and Dad.”
Micah motioned for David to set down. “David, how long have you been gone this last time? Has it been two years now?” Micah shooked his head as he handed David a glass of ice tea.
“You hurt us all then, Mom and Dad, Julia and me, not to mention your x-girlfriend,
Kara. David, don’t try and tell me you didn’t know that. You have been given the name ‘The Black Sheep of the Family’. And it’s not by us as much as it is from our friends and our town.
Unaware of the front door opening their father entered quietly as they continued on.
“Micah, please hear me out, and don’t judge me until I am done, please. Even the prodigal son was welcomed back, you remember don’t you? I think it was in Luke 15: 11-32.” David smiled at his older brother. He knew that Micah knew very well where it was in the Bible. Micah followed in their dad’s footsteps and became a Pastor. He had been the Pastor at the Baptist church since their dad’s retirement three years ago.
“David don’t give me that, I was the one that stayed here and tried to put the pieces together for everyone when you up and left with Joe and Alex. You said you had no thought of ever coming back.” Don’t you see, it was me that had to do it all? Why should you be welcomed back?”
“Micah, you sound like the other son in the parable don’t you. In verse 29, it went something like this-‘ he answered and said to his father, these many years I have been serving you, I never transgressed your commandment any time, he comes back after all he has done and you give him a party.’ “Can you see yourself, Micah? But the father also said Son you are always with me and all that I have is yours. It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again and was lost and is found.” David knew that Micah was truly listening to him.
“Let me go further in my reasons for coming back, besides being totally wrong, and realizing the hurt I have caused and the ungodly things I did during that time. I have come home with a clean heart. I have given my heart to the Lord and I have been given a second chance at life.”
“I about lost my life a few months ago and I knew then that I had to get right with God. “I was facing the other end of a gun. I honestly do not know why I was spared. The mugger aimed at me all ready to pull the gun. At that moment I knew I wasn’t going to get out of this one, but the attacker turned and ran. “I fell on my knees then and there and gave my heart to the Lord. Micah, I never felt such warmth and love and the peace that surrounded me I can’t describe.”
Micah’s eyes filled with tears as he walked to his brother and reached out and hugged him. “David, welcome home!”
“Can I get into this circle also?” It was a voice that they both knew so well. They turned and made the circle bigger. Their father engulfed them both.
“Welcome home, son!” The three rejoiced and filled the room with welcomed laughter and joy.
“David, let’s go home and tell the others, we shall have that party fit for a king, and this time I can rejoice that you are home, and that I have my two sons together again.”
In a town about one hundred miles away, David’s attacker stood before a congregation; he had just given his heart to the Lord. It had been haunting him that he about ended someone’s life, but the message today was for him, God’s mercy had saved both lives.
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Make sure you do a thorough proof. Sometimes it's good to let it set for a day or two so you catch things like ex-girlfriend instead of x-girlfriend and getting the quotation marks correct. Remember pastor should only be capitalized if it is being used as a name, but if you put a qualifier in front like my or a, then it's just a regular noun, not a proper noun.
You did a nice job with using the dialog to build the characters. You have a good conflict and resolved it in a great way. I liked the ending too. It shows the many ways God can work wonderful things in horrible situations. Good job.
Thanks. God bless~
In our modern setting some take both of the sons in the prodigal son parable as Christians with the one son turning to a life of sin for a while but repenting and coming back to God.
Another modern ending would be to have the attacker standing in water confessing his belief in Jesus as both Lord and Christ and being baptized for the forgiveness of his sin. (Acts 2:38) With the added gift of the Holy Spirit, he would have been filled with peace, joy and thankfulness.