A periodic blog by Adventures in Christ’s Beau Glenn on faith, parenting, fatherhood and other themes important to families today. You can reach Beau at .

Raw Conversion, Then a Purpose

The man was well known throughout the region to be wild and uncontrollable. He prowled among the tombs, crying out constantly from the mountains and gashing himself with rocks. But when Jesus’ boat and landing party made shore, he ran up and bowed down before Him. Jesus recognized the man’s condition and freed him from possession by a large group of demons called Legion.

While I fast forwarded you through most of the story, I want to slow you down now and turn your attention to the final words of Jesus to this man. They don’t fit with any model of “intimacy with the Savior” that I’m familiar with. As Jesus was getting back into the boat, the man asked if he could come with Him, the One who had just saved him from a hideous life of torment and shame—but Jesus says no.

Get this ... the guy is a new convert, probably still scarred from the rocks and rugged living. Now he wants desperately to spend time with Jesus, desires to hang with his new group of friends, and prepares to step into the boat—but Jesus says no.

Instead, Jesus places a specific call on the life of this new believer: “Go home to your people and report to them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He had mercy on you” (Mark 5:19 NASB). So he went away and began to proclaim in Decapolis (meaning ten cities) what great things Jesus had done for him—“and everyone marveled.”

He had no time in a new believers class, no follow-up, no discipleship training ... just a command from his Savior to share his story and the great things Jesus had done for him. Jesus gave him a story—the good news! the gospel—and ten cities ... and everyone marveled.

God has written your story and mine. It’s a story of God’s redemption. Tell it.

Dear Friends,

Like you, I want my son to be blessed! I want him to have it all, without exception. I want him to have a great education, great friends, and to know that his parents love him and love each other. I want him to have incredible experiences, fun vacations, and a great church home. I want him to eat well, set his own alarm clock, and enjoy the outdoors—even if it's mowing the yard.

I want him to know, love, and experience God. I want him to own his faith. Bottom line, I want Andrew to have a bucket of blessings that overflows with more than he could ever imagine.

But there are obvious limits to what I can and should provide. This is good! Proverbs 20:7 (NASB) says, "A righteous man who walks in his integrity—how blessed are his sons after him." So, if I want Andrew to be blessed, my first role is not that of supplier but that of a righteous man who walks in integrity. This is so liberating! I don't have to deliver costly vacations, cool cars, or the latest stuff for my son to be blessed.

Point of application? I invite you to meditate upon this awesome truth and ask the Holy Spirit to teach, admonish, correct, and train all of us in righteousness (2 Tim 3:16).

Equipping boys to become godly men,
Beau