Son of a Politician By: Jake Stimpson, missionary in Bucharest, Romania Every week we visit the drug addicts at Vasilicas,

we never know whos gonna be there or what theyre gonna say. A few weeks ago, we walked in and were surprised to see a young, well-dressed, bright-eyed man in his 20s. He stood out from the normal wild-eyed street junkies that we normally find there. And then he spoke in fluent English, something that threw us for even more of a surprise. Stefan (not his real name) introduced himself and explained his history with heroin addiction. He had been on heroin since he was a teenager, and though he had tried to quit a number of times, he kept returning to it and just couldnt break free. He then launched into a tirade about how things are hard in Romania, that life is better everywhere else, that if it werent for the government or his parents or his friends or his bosses, his life would be good. God is unjust and doesnt care, he concluded. God has made these problems for us. Well, I stopped him, the problem is not Gods fault, its ours, its the sin we give ourselves to. Until you take responsibility for your own rebellion against God, nothing is going to change. God didnt create the world with evil, but we continue to allow evil to win, first in our own hearts and then in our families, our cities, and our world. Youre so busy pointing at everyone whos wronged you, but meanwhile youve taken the life God gave you, and youve given it to drugs and selfishness. Youre the one to blame for the problems in our world, not God. Me? he gasped. What have I done? Ive done nothing! Yes, you, I continued. God created you to bring peace and love and healing to this world, but youve abandoned Him and instead given yourself to selfishness and rebellion. Oh, because Im a junkie, huh? he asked. No, Im not just talking about the drugs, but everything. For you, its drugs. For me, it was hatred and lust in my heart. Then I shared my testimony with him, about how God convicted me of sin, forgave me, and set me free from anger, lust, and addiction to pornography. Weve all rebelled against God. Though He intended for us to bring good to the world, we bring evil. So if you see evil, its your fault for not repenting and turning away from it. Then he asked me more about what God was like, and I explained to him that, unlike the picture we often have of a stern father ready to pounce on us, God is loving and kind, merciful and compassionate, waiting for us to repent and run to Him to be forgiven. Is your father alive? I asked him. Yeah, and hes a great father. He doesnt like what I do, but he understands. He lets me do the drugs and doesnt say much. Well, God is the best father ever, I explained. Hes a father who understands us perfectly and constantly gives us everything we need. Hes got the best in store for us. Yet weve taken a look at what He has for us and told Him, I dont want that. I want to do my own thing. Time and again, we disrespect our father, even though Hes so good, way better than any earthly father. You would never dishonor your own father, right? No, he answered, listening intently.

But youve dishonored God. Youd never tell your own father, Get lost, Dad. I dont care what you want, yet thats exactly what you do to God. He died for you, but you dont even care. In all, we talked for about 45 minutes, most of the time focusing on how God is a good father wed never want to dishonor. Then we prayed together, that God would reveal Himself to Stefan as the good, loving Father He really is. After he left, Vasilica, who didnt understand anything Stefan and I were talking about, told us some of his background. She knows all the junkies in her parish very well, and prays for them constantly. Listening to Vasilica, it became clear that God had set up this encounter on purpose. His parents are politicians, she explained, high up in the government. She told us what offices they held, but I wont put it here out of respect for confidentiality. He comes here often, but theyre embarrassed by him. Theres a clinic where he can go to break the heroin addiction, and he really wants to go because hes tired of the drugs, but they wont let him register because theyre too ashamed. They dont want anyone to know theyre son is a heroin junky. He could get help, he could get medication to make withdrawals easier, but theyre just too concerned with their own reputations. Essentially, his parents were willing to sacrifice their son to maintain their images. But he loves them so much, Vasilica went on. He would never dishonor his father, so he respects their desires and stays away from the clinics. Like a good son who wouldnt dream of bringing hurt or dishonor to his earthly father, Stefan stayed away from those who could help him kick the heroin, so he wouldnt shame his family. The reality is that Stefan doesnt really want to be free yet. I dont doubt that his parents are resisting his attempts to get help, but if he really wanted to be free, he would be. Hes not at Vasilicas every time we visit, but when he is, he doesnt looked good. Pray that God stirs a holy hunger for freedom inside him, a fire that wont let up until hes completely freed from the addiction, a fire thatll burn even without access to clinics, medications, or programs. And pray his parents wake up and get their son some help.