I got accused of being a hero the other day
at WalMart. Very strange feeling. As Chris and I were checking out in the 20
items and under line right by the door, I noticed that the checker was gazing
at me. But yet, it was not exactly at
me. Hard to explain. She never really looked into my eyes. It was kind of eerie, to be honest. The kind of stare that makes you want to
check to make sure your zipper is up. It
took me until she was almost through with our purchase to realize she had to be
staring at my fire department cap.
I guess the reverie must have passed for
her, because she suddenly came back to the world and asked, “Are you in the
fire reserves? You guys are heroes over
there.” Chris informed me later that she
must have thought I was in the military.
I explained that I was the chaplain of the Galveston Fire Department,
and as such I didn’t have to run into burning buildings, thus greatly
diminishing any chance that I could be included in the hero category. Ignoring my protestations, she smoothly
shifted gears, and still with that sense of awe like she was talking to some
sports superstar asked, “Do y’all have a lot of volunteers in that department?” Not so much in Galveston,” I replied, “but
Jamaica Beach has an entire department made up of volunteers.” That brought a “Wow.” By this time she was handing me the receipt
and slowly shaking her head from side to side.
As we walked away, just above a whisper, she offered, “Be safe out
there.”
OK. I
put together this account so the guys in the Galveston and Jamaica Beach fire
departments could read it and receive her awe and words of encouragement. They are the ones it should be correctly
addressed to. I add my own sense of
admiration to those guys in both departments.
I am proud to work with and represent you in the small capacity I am
able to. And I echo her final words to
you guys, “Be safe out there.”
2
Corinthians 6:3-10 says, “We live in such a
way that no one will stumble because of us, and no one will find fault with our
ministry. In everything we do, we show that we are true ministers of God. We
patiently endure troubles and hardships and calamities of every kind. We have been beaten, been put in
prison, faced angry mobs, worked to exhaustion, endured sleepless nights, and
gone without food. We prove ourselves by our purity,
our understanding, our patience, our kindness, by the Holy Spirit within us, and by our
sincere love. We faithfully preach the
truth. God's power is working in us. We use the weapons of righteousness in the
right hand for attack and the left hand for defense. We serve God whether people honor
us or despise us, whether they slander us or praise us. We are honest, but they
call us impostors. We are ignored, even though we are
well known. We live close to death, but we are still alive. We have been
beaten, but we have not been killed. Our hearts ache, but we always have
joy. We are poor, but we give spiritual riches to others. We own nothing, and
yet we have everything.”
Father, once again I ask that you surround
the fire fighters with your protection and with a deep sense of your presence,
especially when they rush to a call. I
know their instincts kick in once they are on site, but in those moments right
before and those hours after a call, please give them a sense of assurance that
you are with them. Amen.
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