It's funny when you find yourself in a situation that you never thought you;d be in, but you;re in it and you have to find your way through it.
Basically I was on my way home last night on the bridge over the A3-and what a wonderful night it was too. A light but fresh breeze washed over my face and circulated round my propped up hood once every 15 or so seconds. If only the sound of waves was weaved into the equation every 7 seconds or so and the sand was stuck in my flip flops then I guess we'd have a summertime fairy tale.
But we all know that Guildford isn;t the land of sand and fairytales.
So. I'm crossing over the bridge and there are a group of youths (I use the term loosely...12-18ish yr olds. 3 girls 2 guys) and I get stopped and asked for a light, a spare cigarette - the usual stuff you ask a 20something male for at twenty past 11.
One of the chubby girls blazened with tacky gold jewellery comments on my lovely trucker cap which is courtesy of topman, the friary shopping centre. She likes it and wants it. But as you say to nippers who 'want' things from you...nope. Because it's mine and I said so. Respect that please.
I walk off intent on walking through my door, throwing (well not quite) my bass down and going to bed so I can get to work in the morning. But as I reach the end of the bridge, the chubby little gem that I mentioned comes after me with the 'thug' of the group who is still sporting his extinguished roll up ala block. And I guess you call it a proposition...says that this little darling wants something...she gets it so hand over yer hat.
Yer hat?
My hat?
Protest comes naturally...but my exit is blocked off by aforemention thug and cherub. So she reaches for my hat...takes it off my head i protest next thing I know there;s a fist in my face, I duck down and hide my face in my thankfully large, white GAP hoody.
There;s a blow to the back of my head from another fist and some scratches on my nose as one of them tries to bring me out of the hunch that's preventing successful blows to my face. They don;t know where to throw their hands at.
I move my way through them and into the pub, blood slowly moving down my face.
At this point I bet you want to run back and kick the little bastards right?
It;s no big deal. It's a natural reaction, we see injustice over a stupid, greasy hat and are unable to understand the rationale behind such a chain of events.
Those kids are our targets. They are the next gen church members? Am I right?
They are the ones - maybe not specifically...but the kids that wander our streets at night and prey on people walking alone are who are gonna be in church changing their schools and building the body of christ in their communities.
Now honestly. Am I being over ambitious?
Is Nicky Cruz ambitious? or Davey Wilkerson?
God is love. We are called to take love to the nations right?
God uses for good everything that is intended to harm. So my prayer is that my heart, attitude and manner is changed through my experience.
Whaddya reckon?
