Be Safe
Be Safe
There is a lady, responsible for the risk management program in our association who signs most of her correspondence with phrase that includes a “be safe” salutation. She reminds the reader that being safe is a good thing.
This past week, I was running down one of the main streets in the city. Near an intersection I spotted a quarter in the street. I stopped and picked it up because I always pick up coins when running. (* see below)
Sitting nearby on a bus bench was a homeless man. He was selling papers for $1 each. He said, “What are you going to do with that quarter?” I replied, “I will give it to a YMCA program that helps poor kids. Do you want it?”
“No, he replied as he reached into a can where he kept his money. “Here, take this dollar and make those kids safe.” I declined, but he insisted. (Later I went back and bought a newspaper and gave him more than its value.)
On another run in one of our city parks a young woman came running up yelling and crying. She screamed, “He stole my purse. He stole my purse!” I looked around but saw no one. Others nearby moved in and joined the conversation. We soon learned that she and her boyfriend had argued and she swung her purse at him and he kept it. After a few minutes, most people left. A couple of us remained. “Why did you come up to me when there were so many other people around?” I asked.
She pointed to my YMCA shirt and said, “You looked safe.”
Fanny Crosby penned a beautiful hymn, “Safe in the Arms of Jesus.” If you do not know the lyrics, look them up on Google. She knew where anyone could find safety.
The Psalmist declares, “I will lie down in peace and sleep; for though I am alone, O Lord, you will keep me safe.” (Psalms 4:8)
When life seems unbearable, when friends let you down, when matters of life seem impossible, turn to the Lord. He will give you a safe haven. He will give you peace. He will give you protection.
Be safe.
* We have a group of runners who match and donate money we find. We say the money is a gift from the “Penny Angel.” All of our money goes to one of our YMCA programs to help inner-city youth. In many years of collecting pennies and other coins, we have donated over $2,000 to this program.
Larry Yarborough is the Chaplain for the YMCA of Middle Tennessee in Nashville. He can be reached at lyarborough@ymcamidtn.org and on his profile page here.
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