My best friend wasn’t your usual best friend. In fact, he was hated for most of life and eventually gave his life for someone who didn’t deserve life; me.

My friend was born on Christmas in the garage of retired couple in Nazareth. As he grew up, he became a skilled carpenter and was just like me and you. He wore sneakers and jeans and listened to Christian Music. He struggled with Trigonometry, but was a key voice in Sunday School Classes. He hated to write but loved to speak and his favorite class was Shop. He loved to play football and he had many friends. Though he wasn’t the most attractive person, he always was able to attract large crowds with his speaking and love for people. One time at a community picnic, the food arrived late and all this one kid had was a package of crackers and two logs of Salami. Though I didn’t see it, my friend cut the package into ten parts, and the Salami into two parts. Then BOOM! The food began to multiply and it soon was able to feed the whole town with left-overs.

He loved God, and one day he went to church only to find that the sanctuary had been turned into a flea market. He got so angry that he began flipping over tables. I thought he was nuts and he almost got arrested. But, he had a point. How can anyone desecrate the holy house of God?

But I think that the greatest thing that ever happened with me and my friend was thirty three and I was seven. Though I don’t remember what happened, a family friend was put on trial for a pretty gruesome crime. The judge slammed his gavel and sentenced that man to death by electrocution. He was mortified and pleaded insanity, but the judge wouldn’t hear it. Then, in walks my friend who had been watching everything. He told the judged right then and there to let that person go and to put him in his place. Though reluctant to spill innocent blood, the judge agreed and sentenced my friend to death. My friends dying words before he died were “It is finished”.

Three days later, I was fishing at my favorite fishing hole when a man comes up to me and asks me if he could take me out to breakfast. It was my friend. His name was Jesus.

Now, of course, all of that happened. Yes, it did happen. Though Jesus wore sandals instead of sneakers, and broke bread and fish instead crackers and salami, he did go to the cross of Calvary to pay the price that we as humans could never pay.  He was fully man, but also fully God. He was just as much tested and tried as I am every day. The only difference is that he never sinned. He rose from the dead and today stands at the doors of our hearts and knocks. I answered his earnest knocking when I was seven. Though it has not been any cushion of rose petals (more like a bed of thorns) he is continually crafting me into the man that he wants me to be.