Dying thief or living thief?

Reflection about the thief who died
on a cross next to JESUS

A man was once asked, “Are you a believer in the Christian religion?”

“Oh certainly!” the man replied.

“You are a member of some church, then I suppose?” his questioner asked.

“No, indeed. Why should I join a church? The dying thief wasn’t a member of a church, and he will be in heaven.”

“But of course you have been baptized.”

“Oh, no. I am as safe as the dying thief was, and he never was baptized.”

“But since you will not join a church or be baptized, you will give of your means to help others in some way?”

“Of course not! The dying thief—“The friend interrupted, “Let me remark that you seem to be on pretty intimate terms with the dying thief. You derive a great deal of consolation from his career. But there is one important difference between you and him. He was a dying thief. You are a living one.”

-adapted from Signs of the Times, 2010