God's Nightlights
By Becky
Have you ever had a phone call that you wish the person on the other end wasn’t so calm in telling you what had just happened? I have. My dad’s a pastor and he had just finished the Monday night service at our church. Everyone was gone except for my mom and him. They were setting up for a funeral that was taking place the next day for our organist of 50 some years, when a man wearing a scarf walked in. My dad thought he wanted some help so he asked “What can I do for you?” Then the man said “Give me your money and your debit cards,” as he pulled out a gun. After he got everything he wanted, he took them into my dad’s office, shut the door, and left. Right after he left my parents locked the office door, just in case he came back in, and called the police. The police got there within 30 seconds, so my dad called me. His voice was calm as he asked me to lock the doors, close the windows, and stay out of sight. Then he told be that they were just held up at gunpoint and that they didn’t know which way the man went.
I had just sat down on the couch, the only place that I couldn’t be seen by any window, when someone was knocking on the door and ringing the doorbell. It turned out that it was our neighbor, Gary, who came to get me while my mom tried to get a hold of one of my brothers to come and stay with me until they got home. Finally my brother, Jason, came from his college and took me home to go to bed so I could go to school the next day. Later on, my parents got the idea to write a letter the robber telling him what they thought and how they felt about what happened. My parents thought they would be furious, but they found that all that they could do was forgive him and hope that he would turn his life around and come to faith in God.
“Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe” Philippians 2:14-15 states. Just like our neighbor didn’t argue or complain when he came to get me, or when my parents gave the man what he wanted, we too shouldn’t complain when we receive the opportunities to shine like stars in the universe. “Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever.” Daniel 12:3. My parents, when facing how they felt during this situation and assuming they would be angry at or possibly hate the man that changed their lives, only wished he would come to God and repent. I urge you too that, when faced with difficult situations, be wise and lead others to God through your actions and words.