Going into the World

"In the world but not of the world" is making more and more sense to me.

Friday I put myself in a situation where I could have been handcuffed and taken to jail because I am trying to go into (penetrate) the world while not becoming like the world.

On the way home Friday it appeared that a girl who I knew from substitute teaching four years ago was running away from home. I saw her walking up the off-ramp of 474. After I dropped of my buddy in N. Pekin who rides to work with me, I head back to the interstate in confirm my suspicion.

It took a few minutes to get back onto 474, drive back to Bartonville, turn around and head back to the off-ramp in N. Pekin. As I drove I just knew this is what my Father in heaven wanted me to do. I didn’t want something bad to happen to this girl. So I entered into her world.

My suspicions were correct. She was a former student running away from home. So I got out of the car not knowing what to say or exactly what I was going to do. But I was believing by faith at this very moment I was “going into the world” and yet I was not going to become of the world. I know this is possible because Jesus lives inside of me, and I really believe I heard his voice.

After a few minutes of talking I convinced her to get in the car with me. I was still unclear what I was going to do, but more importantly she was no longer vulnerable to someone hurting her or taking advantage of her, but at the same time I placed myself in a vulnerable situation.

Then the N. Pekin police showed up.

Two really young police officers approached my car. The one went and subdued the girl who had gotten out of my car when she realized the police were there and the second approached me. I told him what had happened, he listened, took my driver’s license, “called me in” on the radio, and then told me to stay put while he went to talk with his partner and the girl. So I “stayed put.”

Then it hit me —probably due to watching to much Law and Order; the police were questioning her about me and if she were to say one thing I was probably going to get cuffed and would get my first ride in the back of a patrol car.

When the two officers came back to me I think I got a little bit of the good cop-bad cop routine. I understood. From their perspective I was either a Good Samaritan (as I was claiming) or a pervert. They didn’t know. All I could do was tell the truth and not get defensive; even though the little cop gave me some attitude.

They let me go after taking my name, SS#, phone number, and address.

I don’t know what happened to her after they put her in their police car, but as I drove home I was glad I stopped. She was safe. Somewhere she has a father who doesn’t know me, but is glad I was the one who stopped and only had his daughters best interest at heart. Jesus said, “love your neighbor as yourself.” Jesus was living out His words through me.