The "What If's" in Life

Looking back on the past, I sometimes wonder what "today" would be like if I had made different decisions, setting out an entirely different path for my life. What would my "today" be like without Christ at the center? How would a decision to not go to Taylor have effected my education and current career path? Perhaps I should have played T-Ball or continued to play football after breaking my wrist?

How different would our lives be from the decisions we all make daily? How different would other people's lives be from the decisions we make today? I can only thank God for the people who made decisions to be a part of my life and inter vein on my behalf while I was growing up.

Over the weekend, a police officer and his K-9 dog were killed while attempting to apprehend a drunk diver, who had sped away from a routine traffic stop. It turns out I knew the driver that killed the Mishawaka officer and his partner in the car accident. Shawn Devine went to school with me at Penn. I don't recall having many classes with him, but as I sat watching the newscast Sunday evening, I remembered Shawn's face from his mug shot that was being used for TV.This disturbed me because I remembered his name and face but not any real interaction with Shawn. We probably passed by each other daily at school without as much as a "hello". We might have even played football together during our freshmen year at Penn, but I can't recall.

The point I'm trying to make here is that I made no intervention into Shawn's life. Shawn was not on my radar and it's apparent that I stayed clear from his. Looking back at my teen years, I would be willing to admit that I did not attempt to be every man to everyone. I stayed away from those dubbed as trouble makers and stuck with people who, for the most part, were on the straight and narrow path. People who wouldn't cause me to stumble and accepted me as I was. I loved on the unloved, but did not seek out those who needed an intervention ... if that makes much sense.

Guys like Shawn Devine were simply not an agenda to me because I associated them with the likes of those who would most likely blow me off or consider me to be uncool. My decision to follow Christ was pretty well written on my face and within my actions, and this sometimes set me a part from the upper echelons of high school popularity. I was liked by those who really knew me beyond my name and meager achievements, but I was by no means "upper-crust" high school royalty. The crowd I ran with was not anywhere close to the crowd I assumed Shawn might have run with.

I most likely stayed clear of Shawn because I apparently did not find him to be worth my time. I'm ashamed to say this now. It honestly bothers me to type this out, realizing that perhaps my friendship or possible witness in his life could have in some way set Shawn's life in a different direction. I have no clue on whether or not I could have lead him to receive God's love for him, but I could have introduced him to HIM. What I do know is that I never gave myself a chance to know him and be a part of his life.

A friend of mine reminded me today that God puts people in our way that we are supposed to pay special attention to. He calls on us to love Him, love ourselves, and love the next person He puts in our path. I felt like I have done a good job at this throughout my life, but today I can't help but wish that God might have put Shawn Devine in my path years ago.

That's why I plan to reach out to Shawn Devine today. I've been thinking about him since Sunday afternoon, sitting alone in his hospital room, under police watch. Shawn will face punishment for what he has done. This is for certain. But today I've decided that he will not do it alone. He will know the love of Christ and the forgiveness He offers for all sins.

The killing of a police officer while in the line of duty is a tragedy, but so is the story of Shawn Devine. Shawn will face judgment for his crimes, but that will hoepfully not be the end to his life. He will most likely spend time in prison and have to live with the pain he has caused this community and the family of the fallen officer. I now feel the God I serve has asked me to at least reach out to Shawn and try to reveal that life does not end "today" because of what has happened.

Life moves forward until God takes us home. I don't know God's plans for Shawn, but I do know what He has called me to do. I know that God has now put Shawn in my path. It's now up to me to move forward towards His call on my life and to inter vein within Shawn's.

Please pray for me and for the message of mercy I take to Shawn. I will keep you posted.