Unexpected Danger and Wounds Treated with Love

UNEXPECTED DANGER

Danger is the prompt word for Day 22 of #write28days. Sometimes we are aware when danger is close. Other times we are surprised by unexpected danger. For this post I’ve chosen to share an event that happened when I was 10 years old. Most of it will be told in the form of a poem I wrote a few years ago. I have edited and updated it for this post. At the end I’ll try to tie up any loose ends.

It was a beautiful afternoon in sunny Florida where I spent my childhood. I loved riding my bike. Not only was it enjoyable, it gave me a sense of freedom as I pedaled along. One afternoon, I hopped on my bike to ride to my piano teacher’s house for my weekly lesson. As usual, the ride was exhilarating at first, but there was unexpected danger ahead.

AN UNPLEASANT RIDE

We were in fifth grade. 
My friend said he liked me.
I didn’t care for him.
She passed a note to question him.
He wrote back and said,
“Yes, in fact I love her.”

Riding my bike to
a piano lesson,
I had to pass his house.
He called out, but I ignored him.
Sensing danger, I
continued on my way.

He jumped on his bike.
Then I pedaled harder,
riding fast and faster.
He caught up, reached out his hand
and said, “I’ve waited
a long time to do this.”

He reached out and pushed.
I felt myself falling,
then hit the pavement hard.
I blacked out for a while, and then
somehow, I stood and
tried to straighten my bike.

Then I found myself
on my teacher’s front step.
So, I rang her doorbell.
I was a little unsteady.
My skin was bleeding
from scrapes on face and knees.

My teacher was shocked,
said to lie on the couch,
while she called my parents.
I said I might get blood on it.
But she kindly said,
“Don’t worry about that.”

She cleansed all my wounds,
comforting me while we
waited for my parents.
They began asking questions like,
“How did you get here?”
I could not remember.

What about my bike?”
They said it was okay.
I wanted to know more.
Seeing sideways handlebars, it
all came back to me
of the difficult ride.

My parents and I
visited that boy’s mom
to show what he had done.
She saw bruises and bandages,
called him in to see,
then sent him to his room…

FINDING FORGIVENESS

If I recall, I missed a few days of school. There was a scrape that just missed my eye and more on my face and knees. I don’t remember much more about it, except that I think the boy and I avoided each other for the next few years. I think we must have ended up in different classrooms.

Years later, we sometimes rode the same bus to high school, even caught it at the same stop. One day the only seat left on the bus was next to him. It was then that I realized I had forgiven him. I sat down beside him with no hard feelings or animosity. It was so long ago, I’m not sure we actually talked, but it seemed like he was sorry, too.

Here’s what Jesus told Peter when he asked about forgiveness:

Then Peter approached him and asked, “Lord, how many times must I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? As many as seven times?”

“I tell you, not as many as seven,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven.

Matthew 18:21-22

NO NEED TO WORRY ABOUT UNEXPECTED DANGER

My piano teacher was a sweet lady and lovingly and carefully tended to my wounds. As I look back over what happened to me that afternoon, I realized that I didn’t panic. Still, I don’t know how I managed to get my bike upright or ride it to my teacher’s house. I do remember having to stop a lot, because the sideways handlebars made it difficult. I believe the Lord was with me, giving me strength and courage to keep going.

Unexpected danger can happen to us at any age, but we don’t need to be in a state of worry over what may or may not happen. When we worry, we can tend to stay in a fight-or-flight mode. Through our lives, if we trust in God, He will help us not to worry. That doesn’t mean we won’t ever be scared or fall into danger, but we can be sure He will be with us as we go through it.

Let your graciousness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:5-7

What about you? Do you have a story of unexpected danger or how God has helped you through a difficult time when you needed to forgive?

I’m linking up with: #TellHisStory, #Let’sHaveCoffee

• 
• 
• 
•