Sounds like a harmless flake, really. But how do you know that up front?
Our church has had similar incidents. The most recent being a known diagnosed and usually medicated schizophrenic. The guy is also first cousin to our security team leader, which caused some of both discomfort and chuckles. The guy is prone to episodes of unexplained excitement, which caused a few to shy from him. More then a few times it took a man from the fellowship offer him a friendly handshake, and simply sit with him to calm him.
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I see this guy sometimes when I'm in town. He works part time at a couple of different places and he rides a bicycle year round. He always appreciates a ride in the winter, if you can take his bike along. He's also interesting to talk to over a coke.
He knows he's different, and he describes it as his perceptions being somewhat muddled and mysterious, but occasionally becoming completely clear and complete. And I think this is when he gets excited.
He claims that on his better days he can laugh about some of his "revelations".
He also claims that some of his revelations about folks have been absolutely right. And I believe him...
I don’t mean to take this thread in an untoward direction..... but, this post prompts a question that I have pondered on for quite awhile.
I have some experience dealing with mentally ill people. The questions came to me....”Can a mentally ill person come to a saving knowledge of Jesus or could that mentally ill person even already be born again.”
So, I asked the questions of a man more smarter than me and he got a little bit annoyed at my ignorance and said something like this:
“The answer to both your questions is an unequivocal yes. The brain is simply an organ in the body and it can become sick like any other organ. But, the Holy Spirit can blast right through that illness and deal directly with a man’s inner being. Further, of course a man could be born again and later develop brain illnesses.....that illness has no impact on his eternal destiny.”
I concluded that he was correct and I have never looked at mentally ill people the same since.
