So what would you have done? This is a purely hypothetical situation, you understand, that could or might not happen, a story from the past that obviously is entirely fictitious and of course one which I would never be involved in, but I'll share it with you anyway and you can make up your own mind. A long, long , long time ago, in a world far away, but not so far away that it was totally removed from reality, there lived a young man, who for the purpose of this story, we shall call Little Pig number one or LP1 for short. On day he met another young gentleman, who for the purpose of this story, we shall call Wolf and invited him to church where he met LP1's other close friend, who for the purpose of this story we shall call Little Pig number two or LP2 for short. One should understand that while there was also another young gentleman who for the purpose of this story we shall call Little Pig number three, or LP3 for short, he is not considered to be a major player in this account and indeed will take no further part in the story.
The little pigs and Wolf became friends and every week he would go to visit LP1 in his home. Unfortunately Wolf didn't really like to talk but just sat at LP1's home or walked around after the little pig. LP1's mum and dad had warned him that it might not be a good idea to have a Wolf for a friend but for a while he ignored their advice until one day he realised that Wolf maybe wasn't such good company, so every time Wolf arrived, the little pig either hid or went away in his little piggy car. Eventually Wolf decided to try the other little pig, LP2 and went and knocked on his door and was invited in. But he wasn't any more interesting there either and often he would just sit and watch the little pig's television all afternoon without saying a word. This little pig's mum and dad warned him too that it was not such a good idea to have a Wolf for a friend and for a while he didn't heed the advice but knew they were right. Then one day he could take it no more. and decided to tell Wolf not to visit him every Saturday. Wolf was extremely upset, indeed angry and refused to listen. But the next weekend he went back to LP1's house and knocked on the door. The little pig was so afraid now that he hid when he saw Wolf's car arrive, but he refused to open the door. Wolf could have shouted, 'Little Piggy, open the door, or I'll huff and I'll puff and I'll blow your house down,' but of course he didn't because he was a Wolf who didn't really talk much so after knocking for a while, he left. Immediately LP1 got on the phone and rang LP2 to tell him that Wolf was on his way. So the second little piggy ran quickly and closed all the curtains, locked all the doors and waited nervously in the dark. Soon he heard the familiar sound of Wolf's little car stopping and then the knock at the front door, but he didn't open it. Then, just as he thought the coast was clear and it was safe to go out and play, he heard a knock at the back door. Indeed Wolf knocked incessantly at both doors for maybe ten minutes. He could have said, 'Little Piggy, open the door, or I'll huff and I'll puff and I'll blow your house down,' but of course he didn't and eventually he left. Now did the little piggies do the right thing? I don't know, but the story has a happy ending because one day Wolf met a beautiful girl, forgot about the little piggies and they all lived happily every after!
It may seem a strange and maybe unacceptable way to treat someone who wants to be your friend but don't so many treat Jesus in exactly the same way. One of the most well known verses in all of the Bible is found in Revelation ch 3 where God reveals to John these words, 'Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.' Yet that is just where Jesus is left, standing at the door and knocking. But the verse also suggests to me that he is also persistent in his desire to be allowed in to our lives, for he stands there and also speaks so that if we miss his knocking we might at least hear his voice. And His promise in the verse that follows is of a friend who will secure our access to a much greater eternal home where we won't have to stand outside and plead for entry.
Sometimes when our home doorbell is switched off accidentally, we don't hear someone who comes and knocks at the door and maybe only catch a glimpse of them as they drive away, but it's too late to call them back. How sad if we missed hearing Jesus knock or just refused to listen and He went away without being invited to come in. And how sad if when we knocked on the doors of his home, we should hear those words, ''I never knew you.' If Jesus is knocking or speaking today, open the door and find a new friend.
