There's this guy I heard about. Pure-hearted, kind, caring, never even thought of sinning in his entire life. He lives with his Father in this really exclusive place- no one knows what it's like, as no one can see beyond the gate, and it's so high up on a hill that you can hardly see the gate at all.

It's heavily guarded. I heard a lot of creeps keep trying to break in, but the Father and His guards keep them out. The invaders used to live there, but were thrown out because they didn't want to live by the Father's rules, wanting to rule the place for themselves. They follow this other guy… a master of deception, says most- comes off as charming, but is really a total snake underneath.

See, the Father has a special set of rules- 10 major ones being listed, while others were written down in the books. Not everyone follows these rules, though, and the second guy- Satan- likes to make sure people break these rules, as well as convincing others to rebel against the Father. "He gives us these rules, but when no one follows them, He does nothing! He doesn't care! …Why, I bet He doesn't even exist!" he likes to tell others.

He also likes to talk people into breaking the rules, making up reasons. "Go on, abort that baby- it's not murder if it's not even born yet. Even if you do choose to have it, the labor could kill you, if not ruin your body… it might come out with a birth defect anyway!" or "Go ahead and steal that- you really want it, and it's pretty much robbery how much they're charging for it!" or "Go ahead and cheat on your spouse… it's not like you love them anyway. Who needs marriage for sex anyway?! If it makes you feel good, do it!"

And when you do break a rule… he likes to torment you about it. "So you told a lie, huh? Too late to tell the truth now. Hope the guilt doesn't crush you…" and "You're pregnant, and it's not your boyfriend's baby? Ooh, he's going to be pissed with you!" and "Look! You killed a guy! Ha! You are in some deep shit now!" and anything else to put someone down.

Sometimes… it gets really bad. "You're no good for this life. Everyone hates you. You should die! NO ONE LOVES YOU! YOU FUCKING SUCK! No one's going to listen to what you have to say! GIVE UP ALREADY, YOU WORTHLESS PIECE OF SHIT! DIE! DIE! DIE!"

It's sad, because… that last part really affects people.

It almost affected me.

I… wasn't happy with my life. Nothing seemed to be going right. Everything was getting too hard, I was so scared, I felt alone…

"You should die… Go on, die! Do it! Kill yourself, no one will care!" Satan kept telling me… he had his creeps surrounding me, tormenting me and… and I felt so scared… I wanted to get away…!

Will anyone help me?

…

"I will…"

I paused, hearing that new voice.

It was the guy I first mentioned, the Son of the Father.

"Oh, shit! It's him!" one of the creeps shrieked. They all were afraid of him.

"Back off! I called this one! He's mine!" Satan snapped, though it was clear he felt inferior.

The Son only gave them a look. "Begone. My Father sent me to him,"

Satan looked at me. "Don't listen to this guy! He doesn't care! He-!"

"BEGONE, SATAN, SO SAYETH THE LORD MY FATHER!"

Satan hissed, but ran off. "Don't think he'll protect you forever!" he hollered at me.

I sat there, trembling. A hand rested on my shoulder. "…Don't worry. I'll always be here for you. He's just trying to scare you," The Son said, helping me to my feet. "Come, walk with me."

I walked beside him. I looked at him. He had holes in the palms of his hands, his hair looked like it had been chopped off, there were scars on his forehead like he had worn a crown of thorns; his eyes were the color of the sea, looking calm and peaceful.

He must have noticed I was staring, because he only smiled. "…Don't worry about my scars. I have them for a good reason,"

"W-What reason is that?" I asked.

He looked at me, a smile still on his face. "You."

"Me?"

He nodded. "You… and many others." He looked onward. "My Father sent me on an important mission- since the day I was born, I knew He had a reason for sending me to earth. I am His Flesh, and He sent me so that I may show everyone the way into His Kingdom,"

"Y-You know the way inside?"

"Yes… and anyone who accepts me will be allowed inside."

This got me thinking. There were a lot of people who wanted to go there, but not all of them knew about the Son or the Father… some heard stories, but chose not to believe them. "…Why are you so exclusive?" I asked. "I mean… I heard your Father loved everyone, so why can't everyone come inside?"

He sighed, a look of sorrow in his eyes. "I wish I could allow everyone to come inside… but sadly, no one wants to obey the rules. That's why my Father sent me- so that, even if people do break a few rules, they can still get in because, thanks to my sacrifice, they're all forgiven… but not many understand that. They think it's all make-believe, or believe there's another way to get in other than through me. It's hard- I love everyone so much, too… but not everyone cares. Some even mock me and my Father, making fun of us, questioning how things are done, and why there are certain rules. What they must understand is We care only for what's in their hearts- I want to be in their hearts, I want to guide them through life, I want them to live with me… but some choose not to accept me."

I thought about some of these rules. "A lot of people are mad because you don't like homosexuals…"

"I don't like the act of two people of the same sex fornicating- that does NOT mean I do not care about the people in general!" he sighed again. "I love everyone… but I will never condone their actions. They will hate me for this truth, this I know, but there is a reason my Father made that rule. He said a man should not bed with a man as he would a woman; nor should a man and woman bed together outside of marriage- He even said it's better if someone stays a virgin rather than marry at all! Yet people choose to seek their own pleasure, without considering physical satisfaction is not love. …Some know this already, but still choose lust over love.

"But that does not mean I love them any less. So long as they accept me, their acts shall be forgotten and they are welcome in the Kingdom," he looked at me. "You see, in my Father's Kingdom, no one feels lust or the need for romance. We are all friends, living with the greatest kind of Love, more powerful than any other feeling in the world. A Love that never fails, and lasts forever."

"What kind of love is that?" I asked.

He smiled. "The Love of my Father." he looked ahead once more. "It's funny… so many people in this life want to be accepted by the society they live in, not knowing that no matter what society will never accept them. Meanwhile, I want to pour out all my love and light, and hear their hearts accept me! …but many won't, because they feel I won't accept them for who they are. Nothing could be further from the truth! I accept them for who they are within their hearts- not for the rules they break, or their sexual orientation, but what is in their hearts. THAT is what my Father and I care about,"

I thought about this, then thought about the wicked hearts out there. "What about those who break the rules that hurt people? The pedophiles, the murderers, the corrupt government? Do you love them too?"

"I do… but I do not love what they have done. It is heartbreaking- I try to tell them to stop, that they are better than this, and that I will help them find a better way! Some listen, turn to forgiveness… yet sadly go back and break those rules again, feeling that they can keep breaking the rules over and over again and not be judged. But that is not what I tell them! I will forgive you, so long as your heart is sincere in repentance- if you don't care that you commit evil deeds and choose to turn away from my guidance, then you do not care for the love I give you! But if you truly repent and want to change your evil ways, I am here to help!

"Some… don't repent at all. They do not know me, or know me but choose to listen to Satan instead. They do not care if they perish, so long as they get their satisfaction. They do not care for those they harm. …But let it be known that my Father cares, as do I; and those who have been hurt, who are suffering, who die shall be avenged by His hand, and the evil men shall be cut off and inherit nothing!"

I was left thinking again. "Why doesn't your Father just kill all the bad people, or stop them Himself and force them to obey His rules?"

The Son shook his head. "My Father once flooded the Earth because there was so much evil in it, only sparing the family who still followed Him. …After that, He promised He wouldn't do that again. Instead, He sent me so that everyone could be saved- but it must be their choice. You can't 'force' someone to love you, you can't 'force' someone to accept you, and you can't 'force' someone to be your friend. Any relationship that requires force has no strength in its bond. My Father gave everyone free will, so that they may come to Him themselves."

"I see. …I've noticed a lot of people who listen to your Father's rules keep telling others they should listen to Him, claiming they're all evil and will be damned if they don't."

"They are not listening to my Father very well, then. He said no one is to judge one another, lest they themselves should be judged. There is not a single good person on this earth who has not sinned. I have noticed they come at others in hatred and judgment, which is not what I told my followers to do- I want them to love one another as my Father loved them! He is the rightful judge, for He knows a person better than they know themselves. …I know, they just want to save others, but as I have said, you cannot force others. It is their choice on whether or not they accept me- it saddens me to know some will not, despite I love them very much, but it would be worse to know they only love me because someone told them they 'had' to."

"…A lot of your followers end up criticized too. I heard some died because of it. Why didn't you do anything to protect them from harm?"

"That is a good question. Let me answer your question with a question of my own: if you had a friend, and others made fun of you or beat you because of your friendship, would you stop being friends with him in order to escape ridicule or harm? Would you keep it a secret because you would be scared of what others might think?"

I considered this; in school, I was considered a weird kid, and was bullied often… but I had friends who stuck by me, nonetheless. "Of course not- friends shouldn't do that." I crossed my arms. "…but I expect them to stand up for each other,"

"And I stand up for my friends, each and every day. I told you, my Father and I will avenge our loved ones… I stand up for them when they break a rule, and so long as they're not ashamed of me I will not be ashamed of them."

"But…" I began to wince. "Why… why do bad things have to happen?!" tears began to roll down my face as I thought about all the people who have died, all the children who are kidnapped, all the homes that are destroyed. "Is that… is that all part of this test of love?! Why do we all have to suffer?!"

I fell to my knees, sobbing. I thought about all the hardships I have gone through, of the horrors this world had to offer, of Satan and his torment, of all the pain I have witnessed and felt…!

Arms wrapped around me just then, as the Son held me close. "I have heard that question so many times… The world will have its trials and tribulations, and many have turned away from my Father or denied His existence because of it; but life is a precious thing, and these trials teach us that, and to embrace every moment, appreciate all we have. For every bad situation, my Father intends to bring good out of it. There will be pain, but I am here to help give you strength, to heal the pain in your heart… I want to make you strong, if you'll let me. There is not a single soul I do not care about,"

"And… those who can't be saved?"

He hugged me tighter. "Everyone has a chance to be saved… it is their choice."

"I still wish they could enter your Kingdom…"

"Tell me… if you gave all your love to someone, gave up your life so that they may have a chance to live and never perish, and forgave everything they've ever done, only for them to deny you exist, mock you, hate you and follow the evil one's instructions instead, would you allow them into your kingdom?"

I considered this, recalling all the creeps trying to break into the Kingdom, recalling all the people in the world who harm and kill others with no remorse, recalling how close I was talked into committing suicide because Satan told me to…

"No… but… I wish more people knew this. I wish they would listen,"

"As to I… and there is a way for them to learn," He looked at me. "…You can tell them."

"M-Me?!"

He nodded. "Many people I have a bond with share my Father's word and how We love them. …Not everyone is going to listen, and many will criticize you- but there will be some who will take what you've said into consideration, and will seek me. It is that kind of hope that keeps faith strong, and it is that faith that keeps our love strong, and love never fails."

I nodded. "O-Okay… but it's not because I want everyone to listen, but… because…"

Because you gave me love when I really needed it.

He smiled, standing up with me. "Go, and live your life. And remember, I'll always be with you."

"Thank you… thank you so much…! Um…" I looked at him. "I-I'm sorry, I never asked for your name!"

He reached out one of his hands, shaking mine. "Jesus Christ, Son and Flesh of God the Father."

"Jesus Christ…" I repeated, committing the name to memory. I looked again… and he had disappeared. "What the…?! Jesus? Jesus! Where are you..?!

"He abandoned you…" came that snake's voice again. "His words meant nothing…!"

I shut my eyes…

'I am with you.'

"He's with me." I said. "He will always be with me- I may not see him, but I can feel him in my heart…"

"Bullshit-"

"In the name of Jesus Christ, I rebuke you! I belong to him, now!"

There was another hiss, but my mind was quieted of that evil tongue.

I knew he would return to try and tear me down, to try and break the bond I had created… but I wasn't going to let go.

Jesus…

He saved me. He was stronger, and his words had more depth and power than that snake's!

…

He gave up his life for me, so that I may live.

He loved me, regardless of what I did, what rules I broke… so long as I returned to him, all of my sins were forgiven.

I accept him… because he accepted me.