Tonight was Healthy Kids Day at the YMCA, a big family occasion full of prizes, games, races, and face-painting.

At one table sat two policemen and two sheriffs making finger printing kits for children. My red-headed string bean (8-year old Audrey), couldn't resist, so while she got her fingers printed I asked Jim Lord, one of the cops at the table, if the fact that every fingerprint in the world is unique makes him consider that Someone made us.

"Yea, it does," he said. We talked about God and morals and then I asked,

"Jim, as a cop, something could go wrong and you could die any day."

"That's true."

"If you died tonight and God asked why He would let you into heaven, what would you say?"

"That's a really big question," he chuckled. "I don't know."

"God came into my life when I was twelve, and it blew me away."

"Oh yea?"

"You and I both work with law, me as a pastor, your as a cop," I said. Jim leaned forward and quickly connected with this. "And compared to Timothy McVeigh, Ted Bundy, or Hitler, you and I look pretty good."

"You're right," said Jim the cop.

"But compared to God, we don't look good at all." Jim agreed that he was a liar, blasphemer, and adulterer at heart.

"And if I found someone's wallet," I continued, "and inside was a $1 and a $100—"

"It doesn't matter which one you pick, you're still a thief," he finished for me.

"Exactly!"

Jim thought for a minute and said, "So there's not a whole lot we can do if that's the standard."

"You're right," I replied. "I'm sure you've been in court before."

"Many times."

"After announcing the indictment, have you ever seen the judge bring out his son and make him pay for the crime that the man on the stand just committed?"

"Never."

"That's exactly what God did for you and for me because He is both just and merciful" I then explained the gospel. We talked for a while longer and before I left I said, "Jim, tonight could be your last day on earth. I ecourage you to think about what I said."

"Thank you. I will."