I hate this *!?@ place. I should kick your *!*#, you *!#
We walked through the front door and stepped into utter chaos. McDonald's in the 'hood on a Sunday afternoon. Apparently the counter crew had offended a group of young people, mostly young girls about thirteen or fourteen years of age. One girl in particular was leading the attack, spewing profanities like a second language while the others would add their "amen's" intermittently. My friend and I stood there dumbfounded that such a cacophony of vulgarity was being aimed at the people behind the counter in the presence of adults dressed like church folk. The kids also threw in a few threats of bodily harm, as well. My friend turned to comment to me about the ruckus about the same time the ring leader was walking past us. She heard his comments and turned to stand in front of him and stare him in the eye, child to adult male. My friend did not flinch. He instead told her, "This has nothing to do with you; I am talking to my friend." The girl huffed off, loud talking him as she rallied her posse to get out of this place "before I have to do something about people getting in my business!"
Now, I am no stranger to this kind of behavior; I live in an urban setting and I hear this kind of language on the streets quite frequently, young and old, but this time the behavior got to me and I thought about it for the rest of the day. "Lord, what can we do to turn our young people around, to save them from themselves and the negative influences that surround them? What could I have done in that moment? What should I have done?" Then it hit me and I now have a plan. The next time I find myself in a similar situation of public shouting and cursing, I think I will begin to add my voice . . . in prayer. Not about the individuals, but about the situation, that God will take control to bring about peace and even conviction. I know this may sound a little crazy to some of you, but I think it is about time we Christians lost our minds for the Lord in public too. We'll just all be crazy together, their secular crazy and my spiritual insanity. I'm just nuts enough to believe God will move if we become more fervent and adamant in our walk with Him. Of course, the thought has occurred to me that I might be the one thrown out for daring to pray in public. I'm willing to take the chance. Clothed in the armor of God, we pray for God's rule in this world. I'm ready to be His mouthpiece!
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