So this morning I decided to stop by a park at 6am after my 5am Crossfit class to do my bible study.
For some random reason summer has decided to act like early fall in Nashville.
I’m not complaining.
It feels amazing outside.
The park was empty except for a few other humans crazy enough to be up that early running the paths.
No one was anywhere close to this bench.
I was alone.
The sun was barely up when I got to the park and I realized that it was still a wee bit too dark to read.
So I placed my feet up on the bench, laid on my back, and closed my eyes to take in the sounds of nature.
I was laying on my back for what could not have been longer than 2 minutes when I felt something touch my foot.
Not like a bug.
A hand.
A HAND.
I sprung up onto my feet faster than I should have physically been able to seeing that I just got done with Crossfit.
There was a man in a suit sitting at the end of the bench.
“What The Hell Man?!!!”
Thankfully, “Hell” was the extent of my verbal fail.
“What are you doing bro?!!!!”
Yes. I took another step farther down the trail of horrible language.
This time not swearing, but sounding like a baseball player from 1999.
The man was straight up off MadMen.
Probably 50 or 55.
All black suit and tie.
And he looked as shocked as I did.
“I’m. I. I’m so sorry.”, he said…
The man literally hung his head in shame.
SHAME.
And then it all dissolved.
And I saw a hurting man searching for something.
“Im just embarrassed” he said. “Just embarrassed”
He was looking in a park at 6am for something more. I used to look online at midnight. Same thing.
“Soooooo. Yea. I’m outta here. If you ever wanna talk about it I’m at Starbucks on Hwy 100 from 6am till around 9am everyday I’m in town.”
I bolted.
As I was pulling out of the parking lot I saw the man in my rearview mirror getting into a REALLY NICE Land Rover.
As of 7:50am I’m still a bit shaky. Probably still running on some adrenaline from the moment.
I mean the whole convo probably all lasted no longer than 90 seconds.
But as I sit here at Starbucks on Highway 100 I half hope he shows up and half hopes he doesn’t.
OK. Maybe more 1/4 hope he shows up and 3/4′s hope he doesn’t.
But alas…even if he doesn’t show up…
God has.
And He is telling me that the moment I had at 6:15am is no different than the moments we all chase on a daily basis.
That man searches a park.
Some of us search on twitter.
Some of us search at work.
Others of us search in pornography.
And even others of us in instagram selfies.
Wherever your “park” is…
If and when you find yourself there today or any day…
Turn off the laptop, stop texting “them”, pour the drink down the drain, and watch as your head lifts from shame to victory in Christ alone.
It can and will happen.
I’m living proof.
