So this one is a little out of character. There is no next chapter for me to comment on. I have been watching some episodes of a show called flashpoint. The general story line is of a special response unit of police. So far all of the episodes have been hostage negotiations. But episode 6 of season one is a little different.
There is a girl just trying to make it through life. She is probably 17 years old. He mother is a drunk and she has turned in a lead gang guy for attempted rape. She heads to work at the mall and is pushed around by some girls from the gang. When she goes on break at the mall she is attacked by the same girls in one of the mall bathrooms. They beat her up, chop a bunch of her hair off and then begin to threaten her with guns. One of the girls drops her gun and the victim grabs it shoots one of the attackers and runs out of the bathroom. All the police know is someone is shot, but they begin to pick up the pieces of her story.
It comes down to a final scene of this beaten down girl hanging on the side of the building ready to jump and end it all. A woman on the Police force begins to try to talk her down. She gets closer and closer. Finally she clips in on the railing and climbs out next to the girl.
Out on the railing she affirms this courageous girl for being the survivor she is. She offers her understanding and promises of a stronger better life if she makes it through this. She finally convinces the girl to take her hand. The girl reaches out to take her hand and slips. The officer catches the girl and falls with her to be stopped by the strap she clipped in earlier. The are pulled up to safety battered and bruised but alive and OK.
I got done watching this episode and it occurred to me; this is what we are called to do. Youth workers, Christians, ethical human beings, this is what we are called to do. Find the people who have been pushed to the limit of desperation and reach out to them trying to draw them back. And then when they fall we catch them even if we get bruised in the process.
There are some interesting rules these police negotiators have to follow. They must form a connection with the person. They have to connect. There must be a relationship. In order to create this relationship they can only tell the truth.
Ministry is all about relationships, life is all about relationships. We are who we are based on the people we relate to and the way in which we treat them. We must connect. They bast way to do that is to be honest, to share a story some common ground, some common experience with the person.
The next important part is to recognize what is good in them and call it out. The more we can affirm the strengths in people the more they will want to continue in them.
And then sometimes we just have to be there to catch them when the fall. Clipped in to our own support network so both of us don't fall. We have to let go of the railing and catch them.
Who would you be willing to let go of your own safety in order to catch them?
It was an intense and inspiring moment. I hope we would all be so compassionate.
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