" . . . or the devil."

Just a brief summary of a really terrible five minute time frame, epitomizing this whole week. Remember to read this dramatically and with lots of pauses, reminiscent of narratives from old Gumshoe movies:

"Tears rolled from her eyes as she faced the cold, hard facts. Her son has been molesting an eleven year old child. She didn't want to believe it. But she had no choice. I handed her a tissue, and told her the police are on their way. She said she couldn't stand to see her baby boy in handcuffs, so she asked to leave. She told me thanks, said I didn't have to be so kind about it, but I was. She stepped out hurriedly as the officer entered. He questioned me, handed me an affirmation to complete, and a testimony to the truth of the information I reported obtaining from an interview with the suspect. The phone rang. "Hello?" It was a child I hadn't talked to in over a year. He was alone. And scared. He was on the edge and just needed someone one to talk to. He sounded bad. Unsafe. I hung up and notified the authorities. I called him back. Crisis averted. His mother had returned home. He was no longer alone. He was safe. Back to the officer, back to writing my affirmation. The officer needed a report from the victim. I went to retrieve the report, and when I returned, the suspect was being escorted in handcuffs in the police car. He asked to speak to me. He told me he placed a note on my desk earlier that day apologizing for swearing at me. "You're not going to detention for swearing at me. You're going for molesting a child," I say flatly as I shut the car door and entered my office to interview every other child the suspect has been in contact with in the unit."

I felt I was about to crumble all week. But I kept pushing on because I knew when I stopped, I would be done for a while. A co-worker asked me, "What's the purpose of the entire week? What is God trying to do to us?!?!" I responded, " . . . or the devil." "No devil," she says, "only God. There is no devil!" But there really is a devil. I know because he's been lying to me all week, trying to convince me too much is happening at work right now to go on a missions trip. I was requested to testify at two court hearings next week. Two very significant hearings.

"Stay here," I've been thinking, "this is where you're needed."

I expressed this feeling to the same co-worker, who sugguested it was God telling me. My response? " . . . or the devil."