Flashback of Sorts

So I had a flashback of sorts to last year tonight, although, I think de ja vu is a better term. Today I went with my father and a friend to a Bible study at a juvenile detention center. The flashback was to my trip to Belize where I worked with kids on a three-gang street. Pretty much all these kids came from a rough life, did something wrong, and ended up in jail for it. Some of them realized that and desired to change their lives and get back to God, that’s where I come in. I have to admit I was nervous, going to a detention facility can be that way, added to that I felt out of place considering I’ve had a pretty good life and am on the “right track.” Here’s the amazing thing, I’m not sure if it was God’s voice or not but the minute I sat down at the table with the two young men who were attending I thought to myself “I will see both of these guys in Heaven.” I thought to myself ‘where’d that come from, out of all the thoughts racing through my head why this one?’ Then it hit me, before God we’re all equal, I’m no better, no more loved, and no less loved than these young men. It doesn’t matter who I am, where I’m from, or what I’ve done God will always love me just as much as the next guy. We were reading the book of Jonah; you know the one with the guy and the whale (or fish). Anyway the part that really struck out to me was this; Jonah was self righteous, he didn’t want to preach to the people of Nineveh because he thought he was better than them. The people of Nineveh were sinful and when faced with God’s judgment asked for forgiveness. Here’s the thing, both need God’s grace, Jonah may be a prophet but he is still far from God and the people of Nineveh may be sinful but are not too far gone from God’s love. So then my revelation made perfect sense, both I and the men with me were in the same boat, we needed God’s grace, we saw a need, we got our need fulfilled. I pray to God that I will keep my faith and these young men will too and we may see each other again. If that was God’s voice all I can say is thank you for being clear, I could certainly get used to it.