For I will contend with him who contends with you, And I will save your children. Isaiah 49:25
Two days later, with little sleep and lots of coffee in her near-empty belly, Stacy stood before the releasing officer and offered a stiff smile. “Thank you for your assistance.” His curt nod coincided with Bishop appearing through the door as he was released on bail. She observed his disheveled appearance, including his swollen eye and the goosebumps puckering his arms. “This sweater should help. Let’s go.”
“Thanks,” he muttered, and just then, her desire to whoop the back of his head abated. She’d been sure she’d do it. But Samuel Davids had convinced her that was not a good thing to do in a police station. “I thought you said there was no money.”
She walked Bishop to her husband’s old truck, and he climbed in while she settled in the driver’s seat. Grabbing the seat belt, she strapped it on. Samuel, who had footed the bill for Bishop’s bail, sat in the back behind him. “I was wondering what was taking so long.”
She met his gaze in the rearview mirror while grasping the steering wheel. “Oh, we had to wait for him to be released, and that took a while. That’s all.” She turned to Bishop, who hadn’t glanced behind. “Thank Mr. Davids for your posting your bail.”
Bishop darted a glance backward. “Thank you, sir.”
She taught them to say sir or ma’am when addressing adults. Even though Bishop was one of the less compliant ones, he must know, in this moment, he’d better do whatever he needed to be on her good side. “Let’s get home to the center. You can clean up, and we should be able to sit down for a chat.”
As she reentered traffic, she selected a radio station that played worship music. Something uplifting would drive out the sad tone in the truck. No one sang along, but she hummed the tune to herself. Remembering that a cheerful heart does good, as Scripture says, she wanted to grasp for something peaceful and good—even if she had to worship God alone.
When they reached the New Creations Center, she pulled into the parking space and shut off the ignition, then searched for her purse.
Her gaze met Bishop’s gray eyes. His were teary, a surprise. “I didn’t mean to cause trouble. I thought you needed someone to fight for you. Mr. Davids, thank you for posting my bail. I’m sorry for all the trouble I’ve caused you!” He broke into sobs.
Samuel Davids climbed from the truck, went around, opened the door, and patted Bishop’s shoulder. “Young man, I’m not the least bit happy you made a mess. But you showed some emotion—some care and concern for someone who gave you a place to stay. While I don’t condone your bad behavior, I won’t destroy what’s good in you. Anger destroys. If you let go of your grip on anger, you may have a future. God has a great plan for you. But you need to stop getting even for yourself and let God do that for you.”
Bishop lifted his teary gaze, and Stacy let Samuel do the talking, praying in her heart for his words to find moist soil in Bishop’s soul. The boy ran a hand over his blond hair. “I think I’m tired of letting people cheat me and get away with it.”
“But nobody gets away with anything.” Samuel rested his hand on Bishop’s upper arm. “Ever. I can promise you that God, who alone runs the universe, never ignores a single injustice. It’s just that, well, our times are not His times. He will grant justice, even though it may come at a later time in our estimation. Timing is everything to God. He gives justice when the offender can no longer hurt you for it.”
“How? I mean, what do I do when someone wrongs me?” Bishop wiped his nostrils with the back of his hand.
Samuel bent his head inside the vehicle until he was nearly face to face with Bishop, leaning his elbow on the front dash. “Can you trust God with the first step by relinquishing revenge to Him? God knows what you don’t know. If you accept that, that’s a good place to start.”
They waited. It felt like an eternity as Bishop stared ahead. “Give up my stepfather’s attacks on my mom? Give up the fact that I had to run away from home to find peace? Give up…” His voice broke, and his fingers looped so tightly that his knuckles whitened while a tear dropped on his cheek. He sat there—his face streaked by tears born from years of carrying pain inside like heavy stones and not releasing it—his shoulders bent by an emotional weight his frame was too young to carry. His heart bled out questions he’d not asked before—before the God who could handle them.
Stacy prayed harder.
She’d been angry. Upset with Bishop for getting her into the spotlight and not for a good reason. Especially when she had issues of her own to deal with. She didn’t have much cash to run on, and she was putting every penny she had into keeping the center going as donations whittled. And then this? She’d intended to give Bishop a good tongue lashing to keep him reined in.
But God had better plans—plans for his good—unfolding in front of her. She’d expected him to open up later. Not here, not now. Who was she to determine times and seasons? She gave herself a mental shake. Planned meetings, astute lectures, and even well-meaning therapy sessions may not yield this depth of transformation.
Her best support to Bishop now was the prayers streaming in her heart heavenward.
His body trembled as he bowed over.
More tears flowed.
She turned down the radio when they read out the next program indicating their twenty minutes sitting in the truck, handed Bishop tissues, and wouldn’t be bothered that cold air was pouring in through the open door where Samuel still stood waiting for God’s move through this young, bruised, and wounded life to be complete.
Anything to get the cold out of Bishop’s heart.
Anything to get the warmth of God’s love in.
Anything to see another life turned around for good through grace.
In whispers, her lips moved. “Lord Jesus, please show him Your way, Your truth, and Your love. Your perfect love casts out fear. You set me free from fear. I can see a form of who I was in this boy.” Her heart constricted in her chest, her tears warmed her face, and her voice caught in her throat. “He is afraid. Fear for his future being in his sights but out of his own control dogs him. Please deliver Bishop from the grip of fear, and please, God, let him find peace in his surrender to Your plan and Your wisdom and not his.” On and on, she prayed under her breath until the sobs ceased.
He raised his head and wiped his nostrils once more. Tossing the waste into a paper bag with leftover lunch she hadn’t trashed but was going to, he lifted his shoulders with a deep inhale. “I’ll do it.” He glanced at her first, then at Samuel next, and then nodded, unclasping his hands. “I leave all revenge in God’s hands.” He shook his head slowly. “I won’t try to get revenge for myself or others again.”
Samuel Davids smiled and straightened. “Congratulations, Bishop. You just became a man.”
Bishop’s brows creased. “A man?”
“Yes, son. The day you learn to relinquish power to God and hold only the authority He gives, that’s the day you earn the privilege to be regarded as a man. A man under authority, who accepts that he is under authority. Next, you can choose to accept the lordship of this same and only God over your life. That means He runs your life to give it the greatest chance of success in this life—and eternal life after death. You never have to walk alone again. No decision stops with you because you will seek His guidance and let Him lead the way while you follow. He defeats enemies for you, rebukes you when you’re wrong, and defends you at all times. He will make sure you are never without anything you need unless He wants to train you for the future through lack. Otherwise, He provides all your needs. All you have to do is choose to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and personal Savior. Would you do that, son? No pressure.”
Stacy could see Bishop’s brain work as his gaze darted side to side while Samuel spoke. After what felt like a long silence, Bishop looked up at Samuel. “Please excuse me. I need to climb down.”
Samuel frowned a little, then stepped to the side and let Bishop through. “As you wish.”
Bishop walked around to her side of the truck and tugged the door open. She blinked at him. “Mrs. Black, you’ve guided me since the day you rescued me from the street. You’ve shared about Jesus with me many times—and about His love and sacrifice for me—but you didn’t pressure me to believe. You gave me warm food and clothes and a place to sleep without charging me a dime. You’ve respected me and treated me like a son.” He shivered as another cold gust of wind blew through. “Please lead me in that prayer Mr. Davids spoke about. I want to accept Jesus as my Savior, and I want you to lead me in that prayer, if you wouldn’t mind.”
When she turned to Samuel, he nodded his consent, adding a smile for good measure.
“I might as well join you two in the cold.” Then she wagged a finger. “But I must get a hot cup of cocoa later.” Settled, surprised, and sure not to miss such an important moment, Stacy climbed down and joined Bishop in the cold, all three of them abandoning the warm vehicle. They both knew her hatred for cold weather and understood the weight she placed on this moment by leaving the truck’s warmth.
“I’ll make you a big cup of hot cocoa, Mrs. Black.” Bishop’s smile lit her heart up. Usually, she’d make him cocoa. He’d leave it until it ran cold and wouldn’t say thank you. She could see God changing her boy.
Her heart bubbled with joy. Never did she imagine when she woke up that this would be the day Bishop accepted Jesus as his Lord and personal Savior. But God specialized in miracles! “Please repeat after me: Dear Heavenly Father, I come to You in the name of Jesus. I acknowledge that I’m a sinner and have fallen short of Your glory. I accept that You sent Jesus to the world and that He died to pay the price for my sins. And that Jesus rose again on the third day. Today, I confess Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior. I accept His Lordship over my life. Today, I am born again. I invite God the Holy Spirit into my life. Please write my name in the Book of Life and please cancel my name from the Book of Death. Thank You, God, for saving me, in Jesus’ mighty name, amen.”
As he repeated the words, he choked at certain points, and she slowed to help him get the words and declaration right. “Amen,” he repeated the last word, and his eyes sparkled. “That’s it? Jesus is now in charge of my life? I won’t be without family again?”
She clasped both his shoulders, and a warm tear tickled her cheek. “Yes, that’s it. You are now born again, a true child of God.” He swiped her tear, and she backed away from one of the germy hands she often teased him about. He laughed at her gesture and swatted her defensive move away.
Samuel, who’d come over while they prayed, hugged Bishop and released him. “Bishop, that’s right, son. To answer the remainder of your question, you won’t ever be without family. God becomes your family from now on, and you can count on Him to show up anytime. He will watch your back. And you’ll never be alone again because God the Holy Spirit lives within you forever.”
“Cool.” Bishop glanced back. “Now, can we get out of this cold?”
Stacy laughed, even as she sent a prayer upward to heaven. “Of course. Let me park this truck, then come inside, and you make me the cup of cocoa you promised.”
He wagged a finger. “Big cup, not a regular cup.” His smile grew. “You think you’re dreaming, but you’re not.”
“Unbelievable. Had anyone said this morning that the boy who abandons my cups of cocoa for him would be making me a big cup this afternoon, I’d say they were lying. But let me park this truck and get inside so I can see it truly happen.”
“And I’ll beg to leave as I have a meeting in an hour.” Samuel spoke up. “I’ll be a phone call away. Please let me know what you decide about the vacation notice. You need to mail the reply back today.”
Stacy wouldn’t let that bit of bad news dampen her day. “Of course. Thank you for the reminder. Thank you for your help today. I’ll be in touch.”