Now Brent was baffled. Wow. Where’d that come from? He felt a wave of heat travel through his face as he realized that, now, everyone in the room was staring at him. He, again, mimicked Galen’s movements and planted himself in his own chair.
God, that was cool!
After class, while Brent walked through the hallway toward his locker, Laura Tucker walked up from behind and tapped him on his shoulder. Brent stopped and turned around. “Laura. Hi. What’s up?”
Laura was a bit of a gangly girl; not ‘filled out’ like a lot of the girls their age. She was a bit on the homely side and always lacked any semblance of confidence. Brent knew her only by association. His now ex-girlfriend, Michele, and she were close friends.
After what was obviously an awkward moment for her, Laura said, “Brent, I can’t believe how you handled things with Galen back in class. That was amazing.”
“No one’s more amazed than I,” Brent said. “I don’t know where it came from.” The introspection that took place at that moment was short. “Well, actually, I guess I do know where it came from. But, it was definitely not expected.”
“I’ve never seen anyone stand up to Galen like that, and in a way that actually made him look … well … silly.”
“Galen’s not afraid of me, and trust me, he packs a good punch. If I had thought things through before I spoke, I’d have probably just kept my mouth shut and sat down.”
Laura became quiet, but Brent could tell there was something else on her mind. He kept silent allowing her to formulate her thoughts. What she said next was pure gold.
“Brent, I don’t know if you’re aware of this, but I’m a…” she raised her fingers to make quote marks, “‘Jesus freak’, too.”
“You’re a Christian?” asked Brent with probably more surprise and volume than he should have released.
She looked up and down the hall to see if anyone had paid attention. “Yeah. Not a great one, by any stretch of the imagination. But, I did accept Jesus a few years ago. Anyway, that’s the real reason I stopped you. I wanted to say thanks.”
Brent was stuck for a response. He had no idea what she was talking about. “Say thanks for what?”
“For being willing to be open with your faith. You’re getting a bit of a reputation in the school. But, then, I guess you know that already.”
“Yeah, almost every day I hear or see someone who is obviously having a good laugh at my expense,” replied Brent, remembering a couple of instances.
“Well, I’m not sure I can be as bold as you, but I didn’t want you to think that you’re the only one in the school,” Laura offered.
“To be honest, I was beginning to wonder. I’m the only one in the school who seems daring enough to carry a Bible through the hallways. Doesn’t look like a Bible, though, does it?” asked Brent as he turned to show her the stack of books under his right arm.
“No, it looks pretty much like a novel of some sort.”
“Well, as soon as I can afford it I’m getting a Bible that looks like a Bible. And when I do, I’ll be sporting it through these halls.”
“Wow. Don’t you worry what everyone’ll think?”
“You know what, Laura? I used to. But not anymore. If you knew what God saved me from…” He stopped and smiled. “Laura, I’m going to be loud with my faith, because Jesus is worth it. Let them make fun of me. They made fun of the Apostle Paul, too.”
Laura was looking timid again as she half whispered, “Maybe someday I can do it, too.” And with that she turned and walked away, leaving Brent staring after her.
Lord, Brent prayed silently, give her what I’ve got. Use her, too, like you used Paul. Help her to have courage. Brent turned to walk to his locker, then finished his prayer out loud saying, “And help me to keep mine.”
The knock at the side door startled Hannah. Who could that be? She got up from her chair and clicked off her radio. She had been listening to some of her favorite old Gospel music. Walking to the door she flipped on a wall switch to illuminate the hallway. She pulled aside the short, flowered curtain that covered the door’s window and looked out. It was her son, Joe.
She opened the door and saw behind him his old GMC pickup truck parked in the drive, the engine still running. “Good evenin’, Joe. Didn’t feel like walkin’?”
Joe looked at her with a smile. Ordinarily he would have walked the quarter mile to the house where he’d grown up. “Didn’t have the time, Mother. You’ve got a phone call.”
“Me? Who’s callin’?” she asked, curious about the smile on her son’s face.
“Oh, I think I’ll let him tell you. C’mon, I’ll drive you over.”
Hannah grabbed a shawl that she kept hanging beside the door and walked out, closing the door behind her.
“Not nice keepin’ secrets from your mother, Joseph,” she said as her son opened the passenger door for her.
He whispered, “I think you’ll get over it.”
A minute later they were at Joe and Sally’s home. As she and Joe walked through the door, she smelled a late dinner that was being prepared. Beef stew, she guessed.
Joe took the lead through the living room and into the kitchen where the nearest phone was. Yep, beef stew, she confirmed, looking at the stove.
“Hi, Mom,” came a voice from the family room. Hannah looked over and saw Sally walking into the kitchen.
“Oh, hi, Honey. How’re you doin’? Stew smells good.”
“Thank you,” said Sally as she reached for the uncradled phone on the kitchen counter. “Got someone waitin’ to talk with you.” She held the phone out to her mother-in-law.
Hannah reached for the phone. “So I’m told.” She put the phone to her ear. “Hello?”
“Hello, Mamaw,” said a cheery voice on the other end.
“Brent? Is that you?”
“Yes, Mamaw, it’s me. How are you?”
Hannah paused for a moment. In a flash, all of the months of prayer for this boy came back to her. The Spirit’s perpetual calls to intercession had come to an end over a month back. She hadn’t heard anything at all from the boy or his family since then. Questions flooded her mind as she refocused to answer his question.
“Oh, I’m real good, Sweetheart. Doin’ real good. How are you doin’?” she asked, her heart beginning to beat faster in anticipation.
“Mamaw, I’m calling because I’ve got something to tell you. And I think it’s going to make you pretty happy.” Brent paused for a moment and Hannah knew he was doing it on purpose.
“Well, come on, boy,” Hannah said, knowing that he was playing with her. “Say it.” She knew. She knew!
“Mamaw, about a month ago I became a Christian. Your type of Christian. I’m born again!” Brent sounded excited to be sharing his news.
“Oh, Brent! Oh, how I have been praying for you!” she said, unable to contain her joy. “I am so excited for you!” Tears started to form.
She could hear emotion began to rise up in Brent as he said, “Of all the people in my life, I knew you’d be the one who’d be the happiest for me.”
“Oh, I am, dear. I am.” Hannah wanted to press for details, but she knew that those would come if he should decide to release them. “I am so happy for you, Brent. So, happy!”
“God is so good, Mamaw. I can’t begin to tell you the things that he has done … that he is doing, for me,” came his response.
The mother in Hannah that had lain dormant for so long spontaneously awakened. “Brent, are you readin’ your Bible? Are you talkin’ with God every day?”
She heard Brent chuckle. “Yes, ma’am. I’ve been reading every day, and I’ve been praying constantly. I’d like to find a church, but since I don’t drive yet, and since mom and dad…” He trailed off.
“I know, dear,” Hannah empathized. “I know. You pray for your family. They’ll come around. You stay in the Word, and you keep praying for them every day, as I have for you. Pray, pray, pray.”
“I will, Mamaw.” Hannah
heard a voice in the background say something that she couldn’t quite make out, then she heard Brent sigh. “I wish I could talk longer, but Mom also wants to talk with you.”
“Okay, Brent. I want you to know that I love you so much. And I will pray for you and your new walk with the Lord. Brent, thank you so much for calling me.”
“I love you, too. And thank you for your prayers. Well, have a good night. Hopefully I’ll talk with you again soon,” Brent replied. And with that, her daughter, Sharon, got on the phone.
She spoke with her daughter for about a half an hour. She tried to express her excitement over Brent’s new-found Love, but it was short-lived as her daughter changed the subject and asked about the goings on with family and friends.
After the conversation had ended, she hung up the phone and told Joe and Sally what Brent had said. They, also, happily received the news.
After their brief conversation, Joe asked if she was ready for him to drive her back home. She declined his offer. She explained that she wanted to walk and talk with the Lord. She was going to carry this new joy with her as she trekked down the pathway between their two properties.
She said her goodbyes and began walking. It was cool, and she pulled her shawl more tightly around her shoulders. If the warmth she felt inside could have radiated outward, she wouldn’t have needed her shawl at all. “Lord, thank you! Thank you, thank you, thank you.” A Scripture verse filled her heart and mind, and she nearly shouted it to the sky. “‘My soul doth magnify the Lord!’”
SEVEN DAYS LATER Brent received a package in the mail from his Mamaw. It was an authentic, black leather-bound Bible.
Brent groaned with the idea of another ‘lit’ paper being due. A momentary flashback to the sheer monotony of the in-school suspension room, though, made him acknowledge that having the freedom to do anything outside of those walls was a good thing.
Perspective.
He was becoming a glass-half-full guy now. If he’d tried thinking that way a little over a month prior, no doubt that he would have failed. But, his relationship with the Lord and his growing knowledge of the Bible were purifying his mind and softening his attitudes.
The day before, Brent had heard two of his guy friends joking that he’d been “brainwashed by organized religion.” Initially that had ticked him off. Later, though, with his emotions in check, he’d thought those comments through. He ended up agreeing with them. He was being brainwashed. Good thing, too, he’d thought. After all the garbage I’ve put into my mind, my brain needs a good washing!
He sat now, in front of a blank piece of notebook paper. For the past twenty minutes, he’d been trying to develop a good thesis statement. But, with the school’s library being so warm, he felt he was more likely to develop a good nap. He needed to stand up and maybe get a drink of water. The thought became moot when the bell rang, signaling the end of the school day.
Brent stood up and gathered his papers and books. He paused for a moment, looking down at his new Bible. He picked it up. It was black leather with a zippered cover. In gilded letters of gold, it read “Holy Bible” on the front. Never mind that it was a thees-and-thous King James Version. It was the visibility factor that he wanted. He wanted everyone in the school to see him walking with it.
He unzipped and opened the cover and read for the hundredth time the inscription his grandmother had written within:
My Dearest Brent,
Simple words aren’t enough to tell you how proud I am of you and how much I love you. My greatest prayer for you right now is for you to know Jesus better and better every day. Never be embarrassed of him, because he was never embarrassed of you. He is your greatest friend and defender, so you can stand for him, knowing he will always be there for you. The Lord gave me a message for you: Psalm 91:14-16
Always My Love and Prayers,
Mamaw
How often does God give someone a message from another person? he wondered. Brent felt blessed and honored every time he read the Scripture passage. He had taken a highlighter that first night that he’d received the Bible and marked the verses so that they would stand out.
Brent thought back to what his grandmother had said on the phone. She had been praying for him every day. Amazing. It’s as if she knew the battle he was dealing with. Had she known? Was it possible that God had informed her? He knew instinctively that if it hadn’t been for his grandmother’s prayers, he wouldn’t be alive right now experiencing the promises held in that Psalm.
God, bless her, he prayed silently.
Picking up his books, he headed for the hallway. Before making his way to his locker, he made a left turn into the nearest restroom. Opening the door and walking in, he immediately regretted not going straight to the bus. Standing before him was Galen Todd and two others guys—Tim Alcorn and Joey Parks—that Brent didn’t know well.
Galen saw him immediately. No backing out.
“Hey there, Bible Boy,” mocked Galen. “It’s funny you should walk in here like this. We were just talking about you.”
Brent decided to play it casual. “Hey, Galen.” He stepped toward the row of urinals, but Galen stepped in front of him, putting his right hand firmly on Brent’s chest.
“Come on, Galen. Let’s not do this. Okay?” said Brent in a measured tone.
“Lawton, that’s not quite like you. What’s wrong, turning into a pansy?
Brent didn’t respond, he just locked eyes with Galen, his muscles tensing.
Galen continued. “It’s about time you and I had a little talk. You see, I have a problem with you. Guess I always have. But do you know what the new problem is, Bible Boy?”
Brent took a step back, trying to distance Galen’s hand from his body. But Galen stepped forward, too, and pushed Brent backward, pressing him up against a full-length mirror on the wall.
“Galen, don’t, man. All right?” Brent’s adrenaline level was beginning to spike. He knew that Galen and he were pretty evenly matched should it come to blows, but that’s what Brent wanted to desperately avoid. He had changed, and part of that transformation was a softening of his heart toward Galen.
He no longer hated the wrestler, but he still struggled with the idea of looking weak by backing down. A fight right now, though, was certainly not in God’s plans. He was sure of that.
“Lawton, you’ve become little more than a girl. At least before you were willing to show you weren’t a wimp. You’ve given me all the advantage that I need; not that I need any. Right now you and your wimpy religion are going to take a dive. After I’m done with you, you’ll think twice about trying to make me look stupid in class again.” Galen made a fist and forced it down upon the stack of books that Brent held, causing them to slap the floor.
Still playing the pacifist, Brent clenched his teeth and simply bent down to pick them up. Galen kicked a notebook across the bathroom and into a stall.
God, help me with this.
“Come on, man.” He stood back up. “Galen, I never meant…”
“Shut up!” shouted Galen with a stab into the air; his finger pointed at Brent’s face.
Brent’s fingers instinctively drew into fists. He watched Galen’s eyes and saw his attention drawn toward a particular black book resting on the floor. Galen bent down, picked it up, and tossed it at Brent. He caught it.
“Take your little book, Bible Boy. Do you feel it saving you right now?” Galen laughed at his verbal jab. “The way I see it, only sissies carry Bibles.” He looked back at his friends, apparently expecting them to be enjoying the spectacle. Instead, they stood there, unsure, with muted stares.
That’s when it happened. Again.
Brent felt another surge of Holy Spirit boldness course through him. He took a step toward Galen, fire burning in his eyes.
Galen turned his attention back toward Brent and saw his advance. He stepped backward out of reflex, but just as quickly stopped and regained his stance.
Brent lifted his Bible up in full view of everyone in the b
athroom. “You think this book is wimpy, Galen?”
Galen stared dead into Brent’s eyes. “Yes. That’s exactly what it is.”
“And you think that I’m a wimp for carrying it around; that somehow this book makes me weak,” Brent asserted.
“That’s right. Your religion and that book are nothing but a crutch for people who can’t handle life on their own terms.” Galen looked back again at Tim and Joey who obviously didn’t want to involve themselves. They were looking increasingly uncomfortable.
Brent brought Galen’s attention back when he said, “Here, you take it,” and extended the Bible out to him.
“What?” Galen’s expression and another step backward let Brent know that the tide had turned. “No. I don’t want your book.”
“Why, because it’s a book of weakness? Because you’re too big and important to be seen holding it?”
“Lawton, right now I’d shut up if I were you.”
“Galen, here’s the deal. You call me weak. But I dare you… I dare you to take this book, and tomorrow, with it in full view, walk around the halls of this school all day.”
Galen just glared.
“Come on, Galen. Take it.” He took a step forward, but this time Galen didn’t move. “If you think it’s so easy to carry this book around, let me see you do it.”
Galen’s two friends looked at each other for a moment then turned back to watch Galen’s response. Once again he was faced with having to deal with a situation that his own words had gotten him into. Once again he was looking the fool.
Time seemed to stop. Brent determined that the next person to say something was going to be Galen Todd. He was going to have to extricate himself from this situation on his own. Brent wasn’t going to make it easy on him now that he had the upper hand in this conflict.
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