Jumping Through Windows

Can a leader motivate people? Some say yes and others say no. I have to be honest; I’m not sure. So how motivated are you…to serve Christ’s kingdom that is. Please don’t mistake serving Christ with working in a church. It could be one in the same if that is what God has put on your heart, but not necessarily. I’m talking about brining honor to Him through serving others.

Not too long ago we developed some information about a gang member who was in possession of a Tec 22 sub machine gun. We did the usual and had some of our guys stop him, rip the gun. They put him in jail and went 10-8. The DA kicked it (didn’t file charges) because of some dominion and control issues. We needed to wait for DNA testing to come back from the Lab. In the meantime we got more information that he rearmed himself. While he is part of an Asian gang, he is actually from the Middle East. So detectives contacted Probation and convinced them to put him in on a violation while waiting for the gun to come back from the Lab. They went to his house of record. Not there. All of his homies’ homes. Not there. They finally got information he was at an apartment hiding from the police. Detectives and probation officers went to the house, got a good tight perimeter and pounded on the door. POLICE and PROBATION open up we know you’re in there. We will kick the door. BAMB, BAMB the 2nd story apartment shook with the force of the blows from the butt end of the detectives flashlight. Now the guys out back can clearly hear the noise in front. But it’s a second story and not much chance they guy is coming their way, so they do what most cops do in this circumstance. Laugh. The knocking is now more intense and the door is pushing back with every blow. Finally the team leader gives the command, kick it! Boom! The door flies open and the team enters yelling get on the floor and give me a two!

Suddenly, the glass window to the rear of the apartment explodes and showers the two backyard detectives with shards of glass. Behind the glass is a flying Afghani. He lands directly in front of them in a bush, cutting his stomach. They pounce on him and slap handcuffs on his wrists in what looked like a pro-steer roping competition. 1.2 seconds and hands in the air, he was cuffed. No longer a threat, he is now off to the hospital for treatment of lacerations to the stomach.

While at UCSD Medical center waiting for treatment (it can take hours) a probation security officer watched the suspect. The suspect complained several times how he was sick and needed to throw up. Rather than giving him a bed pan, the guard allowed the guy to puke in private. About the fifth time puking in private, he came out with a metal and wood handrail. The kind that surround the toilet and help you get up. The guard had been lulled asleep. The suspect took the bar and blasted the guard to the side of the head. Multiple blows later the guard is on the ground and the violent gang member is running down the hallway. It must have been a sight. A hospital gown wafting in the wind creating a back draft that shows a butt crack (this is where the saying crack kills came from) carrying a set of handcuffs and a metal bar. To his credit the guard got up and chased down the fleeing felon. He tackled the guy and held on until help got there. This was a motivated crook and a motivated guard.

I was challenged this week by Hebrews 6:9-12. The writer tells them to get the gifts that accompany salvation. He tells them that God is just and will not forget their work and love as they have helped others in need “…show the same diligence (motivation) to the very end in order to make your hope secure. Don’t become lazy, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what was promised.” Is it possible in our 21st century culture that we have become lazy because we have hired professional pastors to do our job? Each of us should obtain the “gifts” that accompany salvation…and use them.

I love cops who still possess the wonder of policing. They are as motivated and diligent at doing a good job as the day they started. A group of highly motivated people develops a corporate ethos. An ethos of hard working, pro-active members (cops or Christians) or unmotivated, lazy and will become ultimately corrupt members (cops or Christians).

Look around for someone who has been a Christian for years but still has the fire (diligence/motivation) to serve the most high GOD. That is who I want to imitate.

Andy