Shaun Groves
”ATLANTA (AP) — Ashley Smith, the woman who says she persuaded suspected courthouse gunman Brian Nichols to release her by talking about her faith, discloses in a new book that she gave him methamphetamine during the hostage ordeal.
In her book, “Unlikely Angel,” released Tuesday, Smith says Nichols had her bound on her bed with masking tape and an extension cord. She says he asked for marijuana, but she did not have any, and she dug into her illegal stash of crystal meth instead…
During the ordeal, Smith says, she pulled out Rick Warren’s book “The Purpose-Driven Life” and read to Nichols a chapter called “Using What God Gave Me” to gain his trust. Nichols later released her, and she called 911 and told authorities where to find him.”
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QUESTIONS: Does this hostage’s use of drugs or her captors use of drugs negate her claim that God intervened to free her? Does God use “sin” to bring about virtue? Can both drugs and deity be active in a person’s life at the same time? Could it be that this “God” character this woman speaks of is some sort of nickname given to her dealer? Like “Big Joey” or “The Ice Cream Man”.
Cpt. Crayon says:
Despite our failures, God still moves and works. But we should not aim for the lesser way.
Mike Harris says:
Some great questions here, Shaun. I’m a big believer that God is actively moving through this world in search of people who are far from Him. I think its a given that God works in mysterious ways, and certainly in ways our limited minds cannot comprehend. Jesus never used a person’s sin as an excuse not to engage in their life. Neither did he let the person believe that it was OK to continue down the road they were on. I’m not sure this response answers any of your questions–in fact it may be begging more questions.
I enjoyed reading your blog, and getting a glimpse into your heart.
Thanks,
Mike Harris
Aunt B says:
Well, shoot, if your god can make a great king out of an adulterer and a holy mother out of an unmarried pregnant teenager, he can make a hero out of a drug addict.
I’ve got to say that I actually find the fact that she uses drugs to make this more meaningful to me. I mean, she has an escape, a way of dealing with her problems–however screwed up that is–and yet, when the chips were down, who did she put her faith in?
Sometimes real transformation comes not from someone who’s already achieved it showing you how it’s done, but from someone who really hopes that it can happen sharing her hope with you.