Ex-gangster Johnny Chang apologized to his father after accepting Jesus into his life. He expected a negative response from his dad, but surprisingly, his father broke down in tears.
A Difficult Task For The Ex-Gangster
Johnny Chang shared a heartwarming story of reconciliation between him and his dad after he came to know Jesus. He highlighted this aspect of his testimony in an Instagram clip to explain how self-righteousness could make someone miserable.
After knowing Jesus, Johnny’s pastor told him about the important task of becoming God’s messenger. With that, he gave him a task he didn’t want to do. The pastor asked him to apologize to his dad.
“What I want you to do then is to talk to your father, be nice to him,” the pastor advised Johnny. “But if you can, I would say apologize to your father.”
Initially, Johnny protested the pastor’s suggestion due to his troubled relationship with his father. He emphasized how his abusive father was responsible for molding him into a “monster.” It didn’t make sense to him to seek forgiveness when he believed his father was at fault.
The pastor acknowledged Johnny’s feelings. But, he explained, “But because of your self-righteousness, you’re miserable. Why do two people argue? He says. Because both parties are right. Why do two countries go to war? Because one country stands for their belief and another country stands for their belief. When there’s war, there is no peace. With you, Johnny, just be wrong. God will bestow His grace upon you and your father.”
Apologizing To His Abusive Father
Convinced by the pastor’s words, Johnny approached his father even with hesitations. He did what was right in the sight of God and vowed to follow the Word of God. So, he told his dad, “Dad, I’m sorry for being a bad son. I’m sorry that I was a gang member, and I brought shame to the family. You came for the American dream, I was the American nightmare.”
Then, to his surprise, Johnny’s dad broke down in tears and cried uncontrollably. Johnny recounted, “My father said, ‘No, son. I’m sorry that I didn’t understand the culture.’”
Johnny’s testimony serves as a powerful reminder for Christians to reject self-righteousness and adhere to God’s guidance, even when it feels uncomfortable or challenging. Ultimately, embracing such principles leads to freedom and unexpected breakthroughs.
