Dancing With Dirty Dan
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Dan is a short middle-aged man with a large mustache who used to race cars in his younger days. Dan has also been addicted to crack for many, many years. He lives behind me in a house that has become a haven for drug dealers and prostitutes. His house is a real problem in the neighborhood because people are always stopping by for drugs, and younger girls are showing up each week. The police have a huge file on Dan, but nothing has been done to shut the place down yet. So many 911 calls have been made about his place that the police simply refer to him as "Dirty Dan."
If this were the end of the story on Dan it would be nothing new - you read about a 'dan' every day in the newspaper; you see him on TV; maybe you've met a few of them. But the amazing part, the part that requires new eyes to see, is that this isn't the end of the story. You see, Dirty Dan has another name; a name that he himself does not even know. This is the new name that God is prepared to give Dan and everyone else who repents and perseveres. Is Dan rightly labeled and condemned by his actions? Yes, and so were we. I was Selfish Benjamin, and along with Arrogant Andy, Money-Loving Mary, and Violent Vince, we were all in the same shoes with Dirty Dan before the kindness of God brought us to repentance.
Here is where the story takes a turn: the house next to Dan has recently been occupied and renovated by a Christian family further down the block. Two young Christian men have moved in and are reaching out to Dan. We have started meeting together each week to pray for the neighborhood, and especially for Dan and the dealers and prostitutes that they would be shut down, but at the same time that they would meet Jesus in a powerful way. We pray that the power of evil in that house will be destroyed, but also that God would reveal to Dan and his friends the reason why they were created - to worship God and enjoy life with him.
It was during one of these prayer times a line was spoken that has shaken me to the core, and has altered the way I look at other people.
"Lord, when we get to heaven we want to be dancing with Dan."
Posted by Benjamin Washam 12:04 AM
Labels: General Reflections, Minneapolis
