Episode 9: “She Did It!” *points finger*
Welcome back to Parallel Proof and welcome to a new year. We embark on new beginnings leaving 2020 in the rear view as we step on the gas and pull away. All of us are looking ahead to what these next 360 plus days will bring and how we can navigate the day-to-day bettering our lives and the lives of those around us. That’s why we are here. To make some sort of a difference with the talents we possess and the passions we long for. We are human. We struggle and make mistakes. We chalk up wins and accomplishments. Life is a journey that flies by, and I want to thank you for taking the time on your personal trek to be with me and hear my wrestling with making sense of my past experiences and what I have learned through them. My hope is that you can and will do the same. You have gone through what you have for a reason, or reasons. Make those significant reference points in the formation of your life mean something worthwhile and share those with anyone willing to open themselves up to hearing inspired words from an inspiring, God-created person like you.
This is Episode 9: “She Did It!” *points finger*
I need to give a little back story here. There was a time in my cop career that I really missed my mom and dad. Here I was, living in California and my dad, who was always my very best friend, was living in Cleveland, Ohio where I grew up from birth to 18 years of age. I had always been close to my dad. He was the greatest man I had ever met for a multitude of reasons I won’t divulge at this time. I valued his advice. His quiet godly influence on those he met, and those he came in contact with was astounding. The respect people had for him was enormous. And I wanted to be around it. I wanted him to impact my life and allow me to observe his strong character and integrity. So, I made the decision to leave the police force in Sacramento, pick up and head to the Midwest, and take over my dad’s dental practice. He was a general practitioner with a thriving practice. I already had my bachelor’s degree, but, to get into dental school, I needed to take some prerequisites.
So, back to school I went. Enrolled at Cleveland State University in my mid 30’s. Ahhh good times. Except, I also needed to make money to live, so, I got a job selling men’s shoes at Nordstrom. Yeah. You heard it. Think about this for minute. Think about the incredible difficulty that ensues when going from bad ass cop carrying a gun, in or out of uniform, on or off duty, cop. In control and in charge. I could literally wake up on the wrong side of the bed every morning as law enforcement and tell people to ------- off. Fight dudes, chase criminals, save victims, pursue vehicles, wear swag, catch perps, pull my gun. Every day. A constant diet of feeding off adrenaline and drinking in the creation of havoc. What a rush! From that to….
Yes sir. No sir. What size shoe can I get you sir? Would you like me to take your shoes off for you sir? Let me help you put these new kicks on your NASTY, SWEATY, ROTTEN SMELLING, BUNION RIDDLED, CHEESE COVERED, TOENAIL SCOOPED feet as you sit there and watch in disgust as this peon of a man tries to jam a shoe on your foot and do the lace tying for you. From cop to customer service. Chew on that for a second. The difficulty was astounding.
One week out of being a first responder saving peoples lives, I am now sheepishly standing in my loafers, suit, and tie pacing around waiting for someone, anyone to walk into the men’s shoe department and hopefully buy a pair of expensive shoes, so I can make some commission and go above my almost $15 per hour. I am one killer dude with my shoehorn as my weapon to slay the feet of the ones that destroyed their sneakers.
So, in walks this man in his early 40’s followed closely by his son who is maybe 13 years old. This guy stands no taller than 5-10, somewhat of a pot belly, greasy hair and has a waddle to his walk. The 13-year-old was definitely his child and on same trajectory as his dad in the looks department. The boy has blindingly white all white leather tennis shoes on, and, on the toe of the right shoe, it looked as if he had drug the toe up a concrete whatever and scuffed the CRUD out of them. Ruined the toe!
Now get this, the portly father says to me, “What’s the matter with these shoes? They shouldn’t be doing this,” as he points his index finger down to his boy’s feet. His son pipes in and adds, “Yeah, they don’t feel right” as he is rocking back and forth on the shoes, “there’s something inside them!” Now I’m standing there, looking at the obvious blatant egregious mark on the toe, and I’m thinking to myself, “let’s see how they are going to screw Nordstrom.” I was thinking this taking it all in in a matter of let’s say 10 seconds as they are rocking and huffing and greasy.
When all of a sudden, and remember, I was just a police officer in hand-to-hand combat with fleeing suspects, this father, in front of his child, steps forward and stands toe-to-toe, inches from my face, stares me straight in the eyes, lowers his voice and growls, “Are you just going to stand there and look at these shoes, or are you going to do something about it?” OH MY GOD, I am about to become a suspect and a defendant in a murder trial! I had to let out some air in exasperation --- no polite smile came from my death stare. I stepped a few paces backward, and away from the reach of my throat grabbing hands, turned around and walked away.
So let’s talk about new beginnings. It is the kickoff to 2021 and whether you realize it or not, in the midst of your regular dealings and scheduled day, you have numerous choices on how to react and how to respond to events, conversations, stresses, and frustrations. It is at these junctures where we shine and prove our character. Since we are mentioning new beginnings, as I read the very first book of the Bible and chapter 3, something striking wakes me up. In Genesis, both Adam and Eve, the very first 2 humans ever to walk the earth, were confronted with the sly, secretive, stark whispers of the devil in serpent form. God said, “Don’t do this and don’t eat that,” and the devil slides in there and makes doing wrong palatable and delicious. Take note, both Adam and Eve were together when this went down. What slaps me in the face is Adam’s reaction when exposed by God Himself. The Creator asks Adam, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree, that one thing I commanded you NOT to eat from?” WOW, and what is Adam’s response? “The woman you put here with me – SHE gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.” Basically, placing blame on her. It’s HER fault God. It HAS TO BE her fault. Adam is pointing the finger at Eve like he had no responsibility in how he caved to the pressures of evil or wrongdoing.
Ladies, you aren’t free and clear either in this. The serpent went to the female first, duped her into partaking, and what does she do? Uses her wiles, her naked body, her softness, and her intelligence to drag the man into the quicksand of sin. Hands it to him along with culpability. Men are so weak. Adam was probably mesmerized by Eve and unable to think clearly. Anyway, figures and no surprise there. Responsibilities for our actions and a demand for immediate choices will be presented to us in this next year.
New beginnings and taking control of our own reactions. When Jesus was early in his life, before his ministry even commenced, he was challenged, face-to-face by the devil himself. Jesus for 40 days was fasting and tired and hungry and weak, and who enters the script? Choices, led by the same sly whispering evil one trying the same tactics he did at the beginning of time. The devil was in the face of Eve trying to convince her with, “Did God really say you must not eat? You will not surely die. Your eyes will be open,” and continuing with Jesus in the beginning of the New Testament in Matthew 4, “Turn the stones to bread and eat. Throw yourself off this temple, you won’t die. Your eyes will be open to all I will give you if you bow down to me.” Same old serpent. Same old temptations. Same for us today.
Here’s the parallel for me.
It’s a new year. New beginnings. A new time for me to purpose in my heart and in my mind to react correctly and with confidence the way my calling dictates. We are all called to make a difference. You’ve heard me say this in past episodes. Called to be an example to those around us. An example of doing what is right, and showing the power placed inside us to make the world a better place.
As I was confronted with the father and son at Nordstrom, and specifically assaulted with the brazen intimidation from someone I could have dropped with one throat punch, how I handled that obvious bullying would set the tone for how I was perceived by not only the customer, but by management as well. I had a choice in that moment, to be the bigger man full of Christ, or take destructive action and blame it on him. Much like Adam, except, “He did it.”
In 2021, we will be confronted with all sorts of attacks intertwined with true-life scenarios. Some will be intimidating. Some will be silent and small. Some bold and in your grill. Some that may seem harmless and meaningless and of no consequence. Let us all start these next, now, 51 weeks with the mindset etched in our fabric that we have choices in how to further our calling. Will how we respond help those near us realize the God-given direction distinctly ours? Will your actions advance the purpose given to you specifically? Or will the decisions we make when eye-to-eye with the sly cause people to negatively question what you are made of and who we serve? Like Adam, will we blame someone else for how we respond? There are times, and there will be those moments when we are tired, hungry for more excitement, exhausted from work, done with the kids, uninspired, vulnerable to societies expectations, never having enough, harboring bitterness, depleted energy, arguing, low self-image, exasperated, directionless, or just plain hurting in general. And that’s when we have to be ready this new year for the temptations to slide on in. How will you present yourself in those times? Remember, it does happen to be written that God never gives us more than we can handle, and, when we are weak, He is strong. That is if we defer to Him, and are close to Him. Start this new year off asking for wisdom to recognize the sly, and to react correctly according to your calling.
I can’t wait to be here again next week. Thank you to those that have contacted me and expressed your interest and your willingness to share this podcast with others. You have been an inspiration. Please rate and comment if you can. And I will see you again soon.
