Christian Living

---

Larry Lilly's Letter Thursday October 12, 2006

Tuesday's letter got a great number of responses from well meaning souls who took me to task and that rather soundly due to my using a statement from a movie featuring the well know Hollywood actor Jack Nicholson. I agree in that I do not and did not hold Jack up as a paragon of virtue, just an actor who made a profound statement in the script.

Over the years I have found that God still works in mysterious ways His wonders to perform and Tuesday letter is no exception. Here's why.

J. Austin Bennett a long time friend and writer sent the following note to me concerning Tuesday's letter:

"As to the future and purpose of life, it was the question phrased so eloquently by Jack Nicholson that sent me to my knees after a very stubborn 49 years."

How about that?

Want to sweeten the story even more?

Austin was raised as a Jehovah's Witness. Nicholson's statement was about as hopeless as the Watchtower doctrine, so how did Austin end up a super conservative Christian?

Once a person comes to the end of themselves and even a totally false background the Lord moves in to answer the cry of a truly repentant sinner on his knees earnestly seeking the way of the Lord. In Austin's case He also implanted a mind that is far superior, yet a spirit that would be well imitated as we walk with Jesus.

Austin isn't the only person I know who God saved as a slap in the face to Hollywood. A friend whom I have not heard from in years, served as missionary with Baptist Mid Missions after coming to the knowledge of Christ while in the military, drinking beer as he and his wife watched a movie on black and white TV. (Yes, dear children there really were black and white TV's in the olden days). The name of the movie was "The Rose Tattoo." From references to Christ in that movie a chain of events set in and a man and woman on the verge of divorce were gloriously converted to Christ.

I often use a guide statement taped to one of the shelves on my $79 computer desk to keep me on track when writing. It simply states, Think, Feel, Act. The purpose of most articles is to get folks to think, feel and act on the truth set forth in the article. If a quote causes the above chain reaction in my life, I then assume that the same can happen, even in lesser gifted minds and hearts.

Can you even begin to imagine the joy of Jack Nicholson and perhaps Roman Polanski as they muse on the conversion of Austin Bennett? God does have a sense of humor.

Larry Lilly Copyright © 2006 Use with credit.

---

PLEASE ENCOURAGE AUTHOR BELOW LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE