Twenty years
By Keith Williamson Special to the Sentinel

How do people characterize you? Would they say you are l i k e a b l e , friendly, or intelligent? They might even use terms with religious connotations such as committed, faithful, or sold-out to God.

I would hope people would say that about me, but today I am meeting Marty who probably would not. We were roommates in Atlanta 20 years ago.

Back in those days Marty followed God and I didn't. He read the Bible and went to church. My primary reading was the sports section of the paper. My excuse for not accepting his invitation to join him at church was that I always had something else to do.

The change in me now from when we were roommates is dramatic! I have gone from avoiding God to becoming a dedicated churchgoer and a Christian writer. If that is not enough, I have also had a head injury and with God's help have accepted the personality changes that has occurred.

Meeting with Marty makes me apprehensive. What will he think about the new me?

But as I think about our meeting from Marty's perspective, I think he will be pleased. His prayers and efforts in witnessing to me years ago have succeeded. And as far as the brain damage is concerned, I'm sure he will say I was just as weird then as I am now!

No doubt I was a real pain to live with back then. But Marty didn't reject me, he just kept on being faithful and let me see the difference Christ can make in one's life.

You may need to be a Marty today. It may not be easy to be around someone who thinks and acts differently than you do, but that is the only way to meet 20 years later as fellow Christians. If Marty could do it, you can too.