People all around me stood, terrified at the scene that just had played out before our eyes. One lady began to cuss out the young man, but I gave her a look that warned her of my young girls standing right next to me and she immediately stopped and apologized. As if in slow motion, the activity began to pick up again when everyone knew the danger was passed. Leaving the man outside with two other cops, the policeman walked back into the store, took a deep breath, checked his arm as if he was looking for a wound or something, and then approached the young woman from the bank. He asked her if she was okay and she said yes.
Tonight, I cannot help but think of that young man who is most likely sitting in a jail cell right now, alone, bitter at the world. What caused this desperate attempt to steal some money, in front of a busy store where hundreds of people were trying to get their shopping done for the week? Does he have a mother out there somewhere? Does she love him? Is she weeping over the bad choices he has made in life? Is she praying for him to change his ways?
I pray for that young man, so desperate and alone. I pray he is in the Cheshire Correctional Center where he will have the opportunity to hear of God's love for him through the men from church that hold services up there every week. I pray God will get ahold of him and allow him another opportunity to make things right, and to make the right choices. May he ask Jesus into his heart and make his mother weep with joy and not grief. I would want the same for my sons. I am truly thankful the Lord watched over us today and kept us safe from harm. There are a lot of what-ifs going through my mind, but I am most thankful for the opportunity to pray for a young man, who needs the Lord, and maybe God will turn this misfortunate event into something good for him and his family.