This Time 3 Weeks Ago…

I told a real good friend this story and he asked, “Have you blogged about this yet??” And I haven’t. Until now. The thing is, I hate this story but I think it gives us so many lessons to be learned.

This time 3 weeks ago, I was at the beach with my girlfriend and her family. Leaving after church on Sunday night, arriving there early Monday morning and then staying until Thursday afternoon, I thought this is going to be a real fun trip, even though I’m not a fan of the beach, it’s was more about the people I was going to spend time with.

The week went real well. I didn’t get burnt, didn’t get stung by a jelly fish, or even have my sandcastle be struck by a wave. But something else did happen and could have been a lot worse…

I was up late at night on Wednesday watching SportsCenter and eating a hotpocket. Nothing out of the ordinary. As I finished my drink and meal, someone knocked on the door and rang the doorbell. My first thought was: “This is going to be interesting in that someone may need some help, or this may turn into something real bad….” I approached the door, which was a door with blinds within the door which had been up this entire time. I spoke to the guy through the door asking what he wanted. He replied, “I need some help.” I asked a few more times and he replied with the same answer. I cracked the door about 5 inches and asked more specifically what he needed. He said, “What do you think I need man? I want some drugs (gave some names)…” He started to walk in and I insisted that he stay outside as I replied, “Sir I don’t have any drugs. You’re going to have to go somewhere else.”

He did not like my answer. It was at this point that the moment turned bad. He became angry and started ramming himself up against the door. Luckily I had braced myself and held my ground for a solid 2 min. He had a good 50-60 lbs. over me, so he was coming through the door, and he did. Slamming the door and me up against the wall, shaking the house. He then threw himself at me and slammed me a second time against the wall. He strolled in the house, looking around the kitchen as I kept calm asking him to leave. He then charged me and through me out the door that was still open and locked me out as he locked himself in. I thought the worst is fixing to happen.

I used all the strength I had to open the door but to no avail, it was locked. I ran next door to the man who happened to be awake during this ordeal and yelled to call 9-1-1. As I ran back to the house, the guy was walking away in the darkness. I assume he finally came to his senses and unlocked the door and walked out. When I went back inside, the family was safe and was on the phone with the police, who showed up a few minutes later. And after searching for awhile, the guy was never found.

I am thankful to God that this did not turn into something worse. Because I know it could have. I was frustrated however that he was never caught. As I drove home Thursday, the only thought that went through my mind was “How can he just get away with doing something like that?! He needs to pay for what he did!” But then a wonderful special someone said to me said, “You know, he needs to be caught. So he can change his life and know God.”

You have heard that it was said, “You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.” But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
Matthew 5:43-45