Last Sunday, June 25, my family and I left immediately after worship for a conference in Montreat, NC. We drove two cars, Beverley and I in front, our three girls following behind us. Worship began at 7:30 that evening in Anderson Auditorium, so we were not wasting any time. We stopped for an early dinner about 90 minutes from our destination, and we were on track to check in and quickly get to worship. All was good.
But as we got closer to Montreat (which is only about 4 miles off of Interstate 40), I began noticing a pick-up truck that had apparently “joined” our Edwards’ procession. At times the truck would move into the passing lane, speed up, and as they were beside Anna, Sophie, and Laura, I would think, “thank goodness, they are going to pass us.” But then, the truck would slow back down and get behind the girls again. I thought "bad driver.” This happened for a good twenty-five miles. We finally got to exit 64, the Black Mountain/Montreat exit, and when we began to exit the truck, from the center passing lane, came across all lanes of traffic and continued to follow our girls. On the exit ramp, Sophie (who was in the passenger seat) called Beverley, in a panic. Come to find out, each time the truck pulled up beside them on the interstate, the two men inside were pointing for them to exit off the interstate.
These men (I think) didn’t know that our girls were following Beverley and me on the interstate. These men also didn’t notice as they followed them that I had driven directly to the Black Mountain police department parking lot. Before I could get the car in park Beverley was out and running back to where the girls were. The men in the truck, putting it all together (that Beverley and I were with them and that we were in the police department parking lot), sped off down the road.
The following day we were at a restaurant and there was a police officer at a table beside us. I went and sat down with him, told him what had happened, and asked him what he thought was going on. Of course he told me what Beverley and I feared. Most likely, an attempt for human trafficking.
The more we thought about it, the more frightened we became. Beverley and I began thinking about all of the “what-ifs.” It was scary, eye-opening, and it made me realize that there is a very real risk out there for women, especially young women, when it comes to human trafficking.
I thought a lot this past week about those men in that truck. I also thought about others who bring harm, especially those who harm children. I don’t have to name the examples, they are all around us. I thought about my desire for justice, for punishment, and how too often the punishment (time spent in prison) just does not seem to match the crime.
I also think about how God’s forgiveness is for everyone, every sin and every crime. I think about how my forgiveness is (at times) not that limitless. I also thought about the reality that even though God forgives, there are consequences to our actions, and that churches must, as we do at May Memorial, take steps to protect those who are a part of the family. God’s forgiveness does not mean that we should “let bygones be bygones.”
Through the week I heard a lot of scripture. I read a lot of scripture. And even though it was not a part of worship, Bible study, or the theme for our conference at Montreat, the one text that kept coming to my mind was Matthew 18:6…
But whoso shall offend one of these little ones…it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.
Woe to those who harm children. Woe to those who, in their selfish and ungodly desires, take innocence and leave lives scarred for decades. Jesus calls them to beware. In fact, he says that it would be better that a millstone be hung around the neck and tossed into the sea.
Serious business.