Today I was watching an old television program. It took place in a small town out west with the villain being a young cowboy from a very wealthy family.
The young man had attached himself to a group of unruly friends, and they spent their evenings drinking and breaking into businesses in town. Everyone knew who was committing the crimes, but it was impossible to prove.
As the story progressed, the local deputy searched the room of the rich young man; and in an attic crawlspace, he found the merchandise that had been stolen from one of the stores that had been robbed.
When the young man was brought in to the sheriff, he begged for another chance. He said he had never done anything like that before and would never do it again. The store owner decided not to press charges and sent the young man home with his father.
Later in the story, the young man was shot trying to rob a bank. His friends had refused to go with him, but the young man was stubborn and willful. He didn’t need the money; he was just rebellious. Though he was offered a second chance, he failed to take advantage of the opportunity.
The Bible contains many stories about second chances. I suppose the one that most quickly comes to our minds is the story of the Prodigal Son. Luke lays the foundation for the story of a son who wanted to take his inheritance and leave home. He wanted to make his way in the world, and he wanted his father to pay for it.
The father did give him his inheritance, and the son went away into a far country where he wasted his inheritance in “riotous living”. The boy ended up feeding pigs and decided he would return home and ask for a job as a servant in his father’s house.
Of course, his father took him back, accepted him back into the family, not as a servant but as his son. He had a second chance.
Mary Magdalene also comes to my mind when we talk about second chances. She was a woman possessed with seven demons (Luke 8). Jesus had healed her (Mark 16:9) by casting out the demons. Luke says that later she was with certain women who ministered to Jesus and provided for His needs and the needs of the disciples as they traveled with Jesus.
There is no way of knowing exactly what the demons made her do or say. All we know is that Jesus was able to rid her of these demons; and she followed Him, serving Him in whatever ways she could.
Jesus gave her a second chance. Once she was relieved of the demons, she had the opportunity to give herself in service to the Lord.
I also think about the woman caught in the act of adultery. The scribes and Pharisees brought this woman and placed her in the middle of the assembly. They humiliated her by announcing her sin to the group and asked Jesus what He had to say about the situation.
Jesus stooped down and began to write in the dirt. They continued to press Him for an answer. His answer was simple and direct. “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her” (John 8:7).
Jesus continued to write in the dirt, and the people went away leaving Jesus and the women alone. Jesus’ words to her were simple and an acknowledgement that she had a second chance. “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more” (John 8:11).
Luke gives us an example of a young man who was given a second chance; but, as far as we know, he didn’t take advantage of it. He approached Jesus with a question. He wanted to know how he could inherit eternal life.
This young ruler assured Jesus he had kept all of the commandments from the time he was a child: “Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother” (Luke 18:20).
Jesus told him there was still one thing he needed to do if he wanted to inherit eternal life. He needed to sell his possessions and give them to the poor; that would assure him of treasure in heaven. Luke says the young man went away sad because he was very wealthy.
We are offered a second chance with every new day we are on this earth. Those who are not Christians have the opportunity to become a Christian through obedience to the gospel. Those who are Christians have the opportunity to receive forgiveness from the daily sins they commit through confession and prayer to the Father.
Will we be like the prodigal son and feel the pain of being away from our Father and yearn to go home? Will we be grateful like Mary Magdalene for the removal of sinful ways in our lives and become a servant of the Lord? Will we be like the woman caught in the act of adultery and accept the forgiveness of our sins and refuse that lifestyle?
Some will likely be like the rich young ruler and think the price is too great. They will look at the cost and weigh it against the pleasures of this world. Then they will choose the world.
Jesus said, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:10-21).
Sandra Oliver