Heroes in Hiding: Three who can give us hope and then some…

I don’t know about you, but it’s been a tumultuous, exhausting ten days for me. Words have neither escaped nor embraced me. Instead they’ve been buried beneath a bunker of disbelief, anger, hurt, sadness and grief for the families of Alton Sterling, Philando Castille, Lorne Ahrens, Michael Krol, Michael J. Smith, Brent Thompson and Patrick Zamarripa.

Rather than giving yet another perspective on the why, how, who and what, mostly because I’m certain tragedies like these will happen again, and again until…. what I’d like to do however, is focus my thoughts on three “heroes in hiding.” They are hidden because, the media has glimpsed briefly into their lives and we seem less than interested. Their words give me the hope of a sustained dialogue for the future – even if I don’t foresee that any time soon.

The first is Anna Garnaas, a teacher at the Montessori School where Philando Castille worked. She spoke about how much the kids loved him, how he was always there for them, trying to provide whatever they needed. She also wondered how she would discuss his death with the six year-olds who knew him when school starts back in the fall. Perhaps the only thing she can explain to them what John 15:12 tells us: “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.”

Hardly more than a child himself, fourteen year-old Royce Mann from Atlanta had both the talent and courage to say what many folks in their fifties and older know to be true, and are too proud or too scared to admit it, or too angry to care otherwise. If you haven’t heard it already, Royce’s poem “White Boy Privilege” won an award. How legendary would it be if it won over some hearts and minds too. Here I am reminded of one of many scriptures that promised us all a deliverer with these words “…and a little child will lead them.” Isaiah 11:6.

That brings me to Abdullah Muflahi. He owned the Triple S convenience store in Baton Rouge where Alton Sterling lost his life. Being invited to speak, he took the podium at Mr. Sterling’s funeral to talk about how kind Sterling was – a man who befriended him when he first came to town, who looked out for him, and was generous giving to others. Muflahi became emotional thinking how much he was going to miss his “friend.” I call his actions courageous, because Muflahi could have kept quiet in such a national controversy, but he didn’t. I am reminded of the greatest controversy known to mankind – who Jesus was, to which came the response “and the truth shall set you free”, found in John 8:2.

Here at home and around the world, thousands have already and continue to honor the slain policemen in Dallas for their unspeakable bravery, their selfless actions, and supreme service to our nation. I honor them too. Any other words I might offer here would be insignificant at best, so I continue doing what I’ve done since day one. I pray genuine prayers for their families along with prayers for all the children who are grieving.

Anna Garnaas, Royce Mann and Abdullah Muflahi are names we probably will forget by sundown tomorrow, but the sincerity of their words give me hope. Their actions soothe the fluctuating fears I have inside as I pray constantly for the safety of those in my own family. Many of you are praying daily for yours too. God, I ask please bring them back home to us every day. Perhaps I am naïve to hope that these three “Heroes in Hiding” may bring more of exactly what we need: love, youth and a truth that will set us free. Maybe they can inch us closer to a higher degree of acceptance and a measure of understanding. In this lifetime, I may not find out.

But for today, perhaps all I can do is quote the words of a long forgotten Taxi cab driver, 20 plus years ago who knew this story all too well. Sadly, in the end, he never quite found his way.

“Some people feel like I’m some kind of hero. Others hate me. They say I deserved it. Other people, I can hear them mocking me for when I called for an end to the destruction, like I’m a fool for believing in peace.” – Rodney King

Scriptures are taken from the KJV, NIV Bible.