I don’t know where I heard this story, but I’ve never forgotten it.
A man owed a lot of money to another man related to drug deals.
He’d stopped all behaviors and associations with his former drug life. Yet he remained scared all the time of running into the man whom he owed. So he didn’t really have much freedom of movement. He was still imprisoned by his former habit, his long-lived way of life. He was inhibited and choked by fear.
One day he dared to go to a twelve-step program meeting. And when he stealthily exited the backdoor of the church where the meeting was, his nemesis was in the alley.
He thought about running but it seemed pointless…he’d been found.
The hardened, still-using, still-dealing man crept closer to him, eyes narrowed, body tense. And he leaned in and whispered, “I’d give anything to be out of this life. And you look like you’ve really gotten out. I’d heard that. Now I see it’s true. As long as you stay clean, I’m not going to bother you again. But if you ever, ever, ever slip up and go back to doing or selling drugs, I have a contract on your life, and you owe me everything you ever owed.”
Dealing drugs, yes. And also dealing grace.
Scandalous Fraternizing 