Tonight, for my last call of the night, I responded to a 911 disconnect call. If you have been in law enforcement longer than 30 days you will know that 911 disconnects can be anything from a child playing on the telephone to a murder in progress. Whenever, I get one of these calls, being as tactically sound as I can, I approach the residence from a distance and on the walk-up listen for anything that may provide a clue as to what is going on inside the residence that resulted in 911 being called.
This night was no different. As I approached the front door I heard a female in a verbal argument with a male. As I rang the doorbell, I heard the male voice say; "Oh, great! Now you've done it the cops are here". Little did this man know that due to recent budget cutbacks there were no "cops" it was only "a cop" but I was carrying the best back-up partner ever.....AMEN!
The man opened the door and invited me into their beautifully furnished, but older home. I asked the standard cop questions such as "how many people are in the residence?", "was there any physical altercation or was it verbal only?" you folks know the lingo here. Anyways, I had a very calm sense about this call and did not panic. I listened to their complaints and found out very quickly that this was one of the "Dear Mike, I'm sending you to help these people, Thanks God" type calls.
Now before you think that I've totally lost it and to be completely fair about it. I don't always have this kind of sense about all calls. Believe me, I am just as quick to "hook a crook" as anyone but this wasn't the case. This was one of those "I called 911 because I needed to talk to someone as a couple call". The whole reason that 911 was called in the first place was a verbal argument over the lost of income and of these newly married couple's standard of living. You see the husband worked as a mortage broker and if you have watched CNN, FOX, etc. in the last 10 days you can probably figure out that the mortage broker business is not the best right now. Life was good when he was bringing in 100K a year, and his wife was his 'stay at home' assistance but now funds are tight and the wife needed to get a job outside of the home and it was causing stress upon the marriage.
I listened and found out they both had once been involved in Church. I asked them if they had a "spiritual advisor", "Pastor", "Priest" or "Chaplain" that they could turn too in these difficult times. They both said "no". I told them that I had discovered in my personal life, that having some type of a firm spiritual foundation was critical to marriage survival and that money was not the reason that a marriage should be split over. By now, both spouses had calmed way down and they both had a general concern for each other's welfare and the bottom line, was lack of communication. You see, she felt bad that his ego was bruised and he felt bad that she had to go get a job to help pay the family bills. i, working with God, only brought out the words needed to help bring peace to the home. The female asked me where I worshiped and I told her. They both thanked me for coming and realized that they had just been stupid over the argument. I spent nearly 45 minutes at the home talking to this couple and believe me I believe it was well worth it! But here is something that I believe that this couple did not know. That in our society we misunderstand what it means to be "rich". You can have a lot of power, money, fame, and yet be poor because you lack the one thing in life that can make you rich. That is having a Godly purpose to live for.
Tonight's call did two things; it grounded me spiritually and reminded me that God has placed me right where he wants me. Second it got me to write again. If you have ever heard of "writers block" I get it about every week.....LOL! Tonight's call prompted me to write again for the first time in well over a month.
Tonight's call also caused me to reflect on just how much money is a HUGE issue with today's law enforcement officers. Investments, 401K, stockmarkets woes, mortgage short-falls, etc. With all the money issues and concerns that is going on in today's society, I begin to wonder just how many "Domestic Disturbance" calls that officer's throughout North America were handling right now. I thought about money being satan's folly.
As I reflected on just how much money has impacted my own life. I remember, growing up as a kid in the 1970's (now, you will see my age here). My parents scraped up enough money to pay $15.00 for top-priced ticket to my first ever concert to see none other than Elvis Presley, the King of Rock-n-Roll. (I hoped it would have been KISS) I remember vivdly reaching my hand down from the baclony of the Lakeland (FL) Civic Center to try and grab one of Elvis' scarves that he was tossing to the audience members behind the stage. I never got a scarf, but instead Elvis grabbed my outreached hand and shook it instead. I thought that was cool. After that night, I wanted to be like Elvis and wear a jewled studded suit, with diamond rings on my hand and gold chains around my neck, and ride in Limos. Elvis was the king of "bling" before there was even the word "bling".
It wasn't until years after Elvis' death while watching an eposide of CNN talk show "Larry King"who was interviewing Elvis' ex-wife, Priscilla Presley, when I heard something that I had never thought about before. Priscilla told Larry King that "Elvis did not know who he was ment to be and what his purpose in life was all about. " Priscilla went on to say that "Elvis thought about helping people, maybe becoming a doctor or a police officer but instead went on stage night after night and was a loney and unfullfilled person". Here was a guy that by all standards lived the life of Riley. He had everything that money could buy and yet he was a unhappy and loney man and died as such.
So, here is the lesson to all of us LEO's out there who may be working tons of overtime to help pay for the toys of life that you feel you need in order to keep up with "the Jones". You may be spending your weekends workings and not with your family in church all the way justifying ever bit of it. However, Money is not everything, in fact money is nothing. Money is something that God has entusted you to. Afterall it was He, not you, that allowed you to have your job, your promotion, and your money.
It doesn't matter how much you have, or how little you have, if you don't understand your Godly purpose to live by, you will be (spiritually) poor and die a loney unfullfilled person.
I believe it is my purpose to give officer's insight into calls for service that I respond to in which I believe that God's purpose can work through me (and you) in order to make a difference in the lives of the people with whom you encounter on your beat.
You see, I've had the opportunity to touch the hands of two Kings. One of earthly wealth, who died a loney and unfullfilled person. And one who is a heavenly King of all Kings, who walks besides me everyday, who gives me purpose, and fullfillment, and someone who I will be able to spend enterity with. Which King do you follow?
May God richly bless you this week and may you bless someone else!
In His Service,
Mike
Luke 16:13 : "No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he willbe devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money."
Philippans 4:11-13; " I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him (Christ Jesus) who gives me strength.
