a tale of redemption
 

I had a grandfather (my mothers father) who was born in the late 1800’s. He was a rapscallion. In fact that might be the best thing you could say about him. He was a racist too. Not the kind of racist found walking around today, or the thing that some folk get called because they told a stupid unfunny joke about people not of their own race. No I mean the real kind of racist. A KKK card carrying member who would join or start a lynch party just because there was nothing else to do on a Thursday night kind of racist.

He owned restaurants in the south and had black folk work for him. I have no idea why they worked for him. He was mean... when he was being NICE he was mean. When he was drunk he was dangerous. He was drunk a lot. When the rest of the world integrated, black folk still didn’t come to his restaurant. They knew better. He just might kill them. He didn’t call them the “N” word. He used other terms much worse that incorporated the “N” word but clearly made you understand his disdain for that words ability to accurately depict the lowness of the black man in his view. I am told that for a good portion of his life he openly stated and truly believed that “black folk don’t have souls”. THAT kind of racist.

PawPaw had a dog that he trained to attack black people on sight. He thought that was funny.

The interesting thing about this man was at the age of 70 he found Christ in a Pentecostal church. My dad was there and praying with him. Dad said that when he received the Holy Ghost he felt a bolt of electricity hit him. It knocked him back. The other man praying for my grandpa was Kenneth Phillips. KP looked at my dad and asked him “did you feel that”??? Dad was a new convert himself. He was in shock.

PawPaw’s finding Jesus took place just a few years after integration took place in the south and the very next day, an African American gentleman and his family came into Papa’s restaurant. My dad was there, and Dad was going to head papa off at the pass, then serve this family (My dad has never been a racist). He went for Papa, and the old man was walking out looking polished to the T with a towel over his arm and an order pad in his hand! He walked up to this table with these people who had errantly wondered into the clutches of one of the meanest most cantankerous ne’er-do-wells this side of the other side, and in the kindest voice he could muster asked them for their order. He took the order, cooked the order, then with the grace of a French Maitre D served them. Evidently old dogs can change their spots. Even if I do mix my metaphor’s.

I cannot say that my grandfather was cured of all that ailed his mind by his experience with Christ, but I can say for the last decade of his life he tried. The family still wouldn’t let us young ones be alone around him… and for good reason but he tried. At the end of his life, his caretaker was an elderly African American gentleman it was a fitting end I suppose. His was a life miss-spent. Even though I was only 6 when he died, he was a figure larger than life and not in a good way where my family is concerned. God is better than man. Even still there are some of us who live with the legacy and struggle with accepting God accepting a man who was as bad as this.

Im not really sure why im sharing. Be blessed!

Re: a tale of redemption
 

Great story!

But, what's a rapscallion?

Re: a tale of redemption
 

LOL! it is a literary tool used to covey a mental image of a nasty feller for course!

Re: a tale of redemption
 

Wow.

Re: a tale of redemption
 

Ha! It worked.

My g-pa would call others "buddy-ruff" and I find myself doing it from time to time. Makes me smile.

Re: a tale of redemption
 

I actually knew what the word "rapscallion" meant!

Old folks around here used that word often, along with scoundrel. LOL!

So awesome to know that God can change the hearts of men.

Thanks for sharing that story!

Re: a tale of redemption
 

Beautiful, Ferd. Thanks for sharing. I got tears in my eyes when I read, "At the end of his life, his caretaker was an elderly African American gentleman it was a fitting end I suppose."

:thumbsup

Re: a tale of redemption
 

Thanks for sharing your family with us. Great story of your grandfather and our loving God.

Re: a tale of redemption
 

Wonderful story Ferd, of the redemptive mercy of our God. How love is still the greatest power at work in our world!

I remain convinced that love, and forgiveness through Jesus is the most beautiful handiwork of God in our world.

Re: a tale of redemption
 

:laffatu Delusional.

Re: a tale of redemption
 

Same was true of George Wallace. I read where he went to a black church, somewhere in Alabama, and wept as he asked them for forgiveness.

Re: a tale of redemption
 

Last time I checked, racists dont mind minorities so long as there're in a subservient position. No where did I read him asking the families members of the ones he lynched for forgiveness. :ohplease:

Re: a tale of redemption
 

Wow, you're just a ray of sunshine.

Re: a tale of redemption
 

That's funny. LOL.

Re: a tale of redemption
 

As always.:icecream

Re: a tale of redemption
 

http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2011/0...eorge-wallace/

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv...lace031795.htm

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/wallace.../opinions.html

etc., etc.

Re: a tale of redemption
 

I really dont know what you are attempting to say here.

I have no appologies for my granfather. Truth be known, I am one of his decendants who even now wonder at a God willing to forgive one who had done so much. Who's very legacy even now after having been dead for nearly 40 years is at best mixed.

To be sure, my grandfathers sins were not limited to his treatment of others not of his race, i just chose this to illistrate the nature of a man who at an old age, took stock of his life and truely sought to change, and that change while still not fully accepted by those he did such wrong to, seems to have been accpeted by God.

Re: a tale of redemption
 

I would just ignore the human black cloud, Ferd......

Re: a tale of redemption
 

I meant Ferd's grandfather.

Re: a tale of redemption
 

Truthfully, you might as well tell us a story of a pedophile who hurt children for most of their life only to show an amazing tranformation by nicely patting a child on the head and giving them candy. It would just as comforting and uplifting.

Re: a tale of redemption
 

...

is'nt it wonderful that you are not God? At least for the rest of us?

Re: a tale of redemption
 

I was wondering where you got the idea GW lynched people.

Re: a tale of redemption
 

Amen. Me too :highfive
:hanky:hanky:hanky

:shockamoo

Re: a tale of redemption
 

"9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
11 And such WERE some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. (1 Cor 6:9-11)

Yep! Looks like God is still in the business of transforming lives! :)

Re: a tale of redemption
 

Amen, and He can do it ANY time.

Re: a tale of redemption
 

We have consequences for our sins. Just because we are saved, doesn't always mean that the consequences are gone.

Re: a tale of redemption
 

For pedophiles and violent racists it is.

Re: a tale of redemption
 

As if we dont know this already. Your point being......?

Re: a tale of redemption
 

Another poster huffed paint before logging in.

Re: a tale of redemption
 

I thought someone was busy getting drunk on shots of whiskey........?!

Re: a tale of redemption
 

Y que?

Re: a tale of redemption
 

So what? God is more than enough, thats what.

Re: a tale of redemption
 

Previously, when you said:

Quote:

Truthfully, you might as well tell us a story of a pedophile who hurt children for most of their life only to show an amazing tranformation by nicely patting a child on the head and giving them candy. It would just as comforting and uplifting.

I had the impression you might not believe that Jesus can actually transform former racists, pedophiles, etc.

Re: a tale of redemption
 

You missed the point entirely.