
In 1994 while working as a police officer in a suburban Detroit police department I was told to report to the Deputy Chiefs office. The first thing that went through my mind was “what did I do now?” I did my best to avoid the Deputy Chief although I did pray for him along with other authorities on the department. This Deputy Chief was not a believer in Christ, and he knew I was a non compromising Christian. The Deputy Chief had even chastised me in front of other officers stating “I Hate The Lord!”
I never reacted too much to the Deputy Chief’s comments, because I am not the Lord, the Deputy Chief’s battle was with the Lord. I am only a representative of my faith and I knew this battle belonged to the Lord. I have to be honest though, there were a couple times I had hoped the Deputy Chief would be struck by lightning on the spot or experience some other significant emotional event. Well that never happened and that’s why I am not the Lord, the Lord knows a whole lot more about grace and mercy than I do and I like it that way, because He has sure given me an abundance of undeserved favor over the years.
Let me also remind you that my Chief (the Deputy Chief’s superior) had ordered me not to mention God or Jesus while in uniform, was instrumental in deleting God out of the departmental code of ethics and further advised me that there is no connection between God and the Police. Not the best chain of command, but that’s where God wanted me at that time in my life and let me tell you, God used both the Chief and Deputy Chief to raise me up in faith rather quickly.
Now as I stepped into the Deputy Chiefs office, he was unreasonably polite asking me to sit down. I sat down and he explained to me that there was an opening in the youth bureau. He said that I was the best people person on the department and I was his choice, under one condition. I asked what the condition was and he said, “that you not share your faith.” I told him that my people skills were a result of my faith in Jesus Christ and I can’t agree to that, but I am interested in the position.
He excused me from his office, I applied for the position and did not get it. I did get more persecution and eventually resigned my position with the department on April 15, 1995 (Easter Sunday) choosing to obey God and not man.
Now God did not act as quickly as I thought he would, but he did act in His perfect time. In 1996 I accepted a position with the Department of Corrections as a Correction Officer and in 1997 I took a transfer to the west side of the state 100 miles away. Then in 2001 I returned to police work accepting a part-time position with a small city on the west side of the county I was living in.
In 2002 God showed me what he showed the Deputy Chief in 1994. I was recruited by the local Sheriff, Superintendent of schools and County Commissioners and hired as a part-time Deputy Sheriff. I was assigned to local schools as the school liaison officer with no condition other than to be a positive role model for staff and students.
God Is Good All The Time!
Joshua 1:8
This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.