Incessant Knocking

As I got Jacob up from his nap and set him in front of Elmo so that I could shower, I heard the knocking. I knew it wasn't at our house, so I figured it was across the street. We hear the knocking, usually several times a night and early morning. It's a $5 a night hotel, catch my drift? It's across the street from our bedroom window, so we often wake up from the car doors slamming and then the loud knocking and sometimes shouting.

Well, it's mid-morning and the knocking went on for at least 10 minutes. I peeked out my blinds, the nosy neighbor. I saw two white men on the porch, then I saw the big white letters P-O-L-I-C-E and the bulk at the waist. I felt like I was watching Law and Order. I saw one of the guys go around through the back. The front door was wide open now, so I could see him draw his gun as he walked down the hallway to the first door.

Then I closed my blinds and continued about my morning getting dressed and brushing my hair, playing with Jacob, writing this post. What struck me is that we're living in the middle of this, but our children don't know it. Their life is safe and loving. Those that are being hunted and some of the children we minister to experience this every day. A lot of them do not close their blinds to a peaceful loving home. Their life is chaos. The dealers and users the police are looking for probably grew up in a home like that. Breaking it down to that level gives me compassion and love for the dealers and users. I am reminded by the Lord that they were knit together, by God, in their mother's womb. He loves them just as much as He loves me, a do-gooder. He came and died for them, too. They deserve His love just as much as I do.

Now the incessant knocking is not as much of an annoyance, but rather a reminder. A reminder of God's love for what we would call, the "least of these." But in His eyes they are not, they are potential heirs in His glorious kingdom!