In Harms Way

Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities.  For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities tht exist are appointed by God.  Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgement on themselves.  For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil.  Do you want to be unafraid of the authority?  Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same.  For he is Gods minister to you for good.  But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God's  minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil.  Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience' sake.
Romans 13: 1-5 NKJV

I remember growing up and knowing just how proud I was that I was the son of a deputy sheriff.  I remember my dad taking my brother and I on trips to the county jailhouse in rural northern Minnesota where I grew up.  The town where we lived was the county seat, so eventually everyone who my dad had contact with in his job, good or bad, ended up coming through this facility.  I  remember the jail cells, the interogation rooms, which some of my dads co workers would call the "Hall of lies."  I remember the times my dad would let me ride in his squad car as he drove around the county and how it made me feel like I was on top of the world.  My father would spend 20 years in the service of sheriffs department of our county.  From a young age, I would see a unique perspective that few people in our country today rarely see.  For I saw the human side of law enforcement.  I was there when my dad would spend afternoons with his partner and other co workers.  Some of my best freinds growing up were the children of other officers around the area who my dad would work with in his duties.  From what I remember, it was a very tight knit community of family and friends.  I was too young to know it at the time, but this was done not only for support but for their very survival.  Of course, the officers who worked with my dad came to know my brother and I on a personal basis.  When I somehow wandered away from home when I was 5 years old, nearly every officer in Virginia, Minnesota was on the lookout for me.  When I foolishly mistook the contents of that red metal can on our screen porch one hot summer day, there was a 8  - 10 vehicle police escort for my ambulance the entire 55 mile trip to Duluth, Minnesota and the hospital.  Of course, to me this was just normal police procedure.  I was far too young to notice the devotion, courage and commitment to duty of the officers my dad worked around.  To me they were simply friends of the family.

Then Jesus answered and said: "A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.  Now by chance a certain priest came down that road.  And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.  Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and loooked, and passed by on the other side.  But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was.  And when he saw him, he had compassion.  So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him.  On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii (Around $36), gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, 'Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.'  "So which of these three do you think was a neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?"  And he said, "He who showed mercy on him."  Then Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise."
Luke 10: 30-37 NKJV

In later years, after my parents divorced, I remember my mother telling me of the other side of my dads job.  How the Bureau Of Criminal Aprehension requested he work for them due to my dads experience and "common everyday" appearance.  How my dad, upon entering the dark home of a wanted suspect, hit the floor mere seconds before a shotgun was fired over his head.  Of course, my mother worried about these duties because my dad would rarely be able to tell anyone about his activities.  Eventually, the stress of the job took its toll on my dad and my parents marriage.  Alchohol would become one of his best coping mechanisms.  Despite all of this going around me, I was proud to be the son of a police officer.  I don't need to remind anyone that the years my dad spent in law enforcement were different than what officers face today.  Where my own father would only draw his weapon in the line of duty only twice in his twenty years, officers today may be forced with that situation on a daily basis.  I have witnessed the atmosphere in our nation go from one where law enforcement was respected to one where they are vilified on daily basis.  The modern "Black lives matter" movement may fail to recognize that our officers are a life as well.  Perhaps that is by design.  For our own president has often had critical words for our nations law enforcement officers.  In light of this atmosphere, I can understand how our police officers would feel abandoned.  Yet, each day across the country they put on the uniform to perform their duties.  The traditional motto of our nations law enforcement "To protect and to serve" has never been more true today.  These are our men and women who put themselves in harms way on a daily basis.  When the wolf is at the door and danger is imminent, our very first call is usually to 911 and our police on patrol.  They walk and patrol the streets we may be too afraid to drive down.  In light of the recent events in Dallas, Texas, I remember my dad and how proud he was to wear his badge each day.  He was an officer and a father, but most of all he was a man.  He answered the call when others wouldn't.

~Scott~