Call Security
But whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of them. Proverbs 1:33 (NIV)
Have you ever come home to a dark house and heard noises? Yikes! What should I do? Should I call 911 first and then go see, leave or find a weapon? Terry Clifton learned a valuable lesson from his big scare and wrote about it in All God’s Creatures. Use your imagination but get the message.
*****
My wife, Sandra, and I returned home late one night from a visit with the neighbors. As I entered the kitchen from the garage, I distinctly heard the sound of the toilet flushing. Sandra gasped, “Someone’s in our house,” she said, stifling a scream. I gestured for her to return to the garage. Wanting to stay close to me, she shook her head, signaling no, as she turned me around toward the bathroom. We looked like Lucy and Ricky in the episode where they move to the country and presume there is a break-in. As we crept past our front door, I grabbed an umbrella from the coat-tree. Oh, mighty warrior, I thought.
All my stubborn excuses for ignoring endless mailers, phone calls, and text messages with offers from home security companies rapidly passed through my adrenaline-pumped mind: They’re just trying to scare us to make money. We live in a safe neighborhood. Our home has little street traffic. Why would we need an elaborate security system?
We warily approached the main bath with umbrella in hand, ready for battle. The door was open a crack. The light was on. I kicked the door open, stepped back, and beheld our fat gray cat, Sammy, mounted on the tank of our new top-flush toilet. Upon seeing us, he meowed, stood up, and then sat down. And voilà—the sound of swirling water.
After our hearts slowed down and we stopped laughing, I realized the Lord had used Sammy to give me a gentle prod to take more seriously the safety of my family. I would check out our security options in the morning.
*****
We can get a good laugh with Terry and Sandra, but God was gently urging them to be more careful. Because that was such a memorable event, Terry probably made that call. When God sends us a message, how do we respond?
Gracious Lord, thank You for Your grace, patience, and love. You forgive and correct us even as we wrestle with our human frailty. AMEN.