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It’s late at night, but you need gas; spotting a late night convenience store you head towards it. Although it seems kind of empty, even remote of other businesses, your gas gauge is telling you not to pass it by. Pulling up to the pumps you notice the sign saying “ATM out of order, Pay Inside.” Inwardly you groan at this further inconvenience but have no choice unless you want to walk home on a deserted highway.
Going inside the small store you are just glad this station isn’t one of the more modern designs with the impersonal “bullet proofing” booth, until you offer your currency to the sleepy man behind the counter who doesn’t even bother to look up from his magazine. Perhaps the bullet proof booth might have offered a more personable touch?
Turning to exit the store you notice a damaged pickup truck pulling up to the pumps right next to your car. Out of the cab climbs a man who doesn’t seem remotely friendly and he’s wearing about a thousand tattoos. When he reads the “ATM” sign he gets frustrated enough to spew forth a string of curse words you haven’t heard since that “bull rodeo” someone talked you into going to.
About now your mind is running the avenues for escape. Is your cell phone charged? Will the sleepy guy wake up in case of emergencies? Are those tattoos dangerous?
Isn’t it funny how fast our minds run to “regular channels” of reaction? Being a woman living in today’s world can be scary. I can’t speak for all men but my information is that they are wondering too about the “frustrated guy”. Our radars kick on, getting ready to run from the gun or robbery and dare I say it, rapist?
Yes we need to be wary but we shouldn’t be living in fear! How can anyone show the love of Christ if they are too busy planning the escape route from the “scary looking” dude?
I don’t propose we put ourselves in harm’s way, I merely suggest those who need hope the most may scare us because they are simply “different” than us. Run as fast as you can, but not from different looking persons; rather run from the fear that others are different from us!
1 John 4:18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.