Kneeling in the Rain

Our love for God and the dynamics of our relationship with Him can govern how we relate to other people.  We can develop a healthy respect for our fellow human beings as we allow God's love to
determine our attitudes. Proverbs 3 says:
27 Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, When it is in the power of your hand to do so.
28 Do not say to your neighbor, "Go, and come back, And tomorrow I will give it," When you have it with you.
29 Do not devise evil against your neighbor, For he dwells by you for safety's sake.

We can be devoted to showing appreciation for those who have served us.  We have to be careful not to take the contributions of others for granted, but be charitable in our response to goodness and kindness shown toward us.  Out of a heart that is thankful toward God, who has done so much for us, we can show the proper amount of honor and respect, not only to those who have done good, but for those who have not, realizing that we can even show Christ's love to those who we think may not deserve it.

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Because we belong to Christ, we can certainly honor Him in worship, in fellowship with Him, and in
the way we conduct ourselves. 1st Peter 2 tells us:
15 For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men--
16 as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God.
17 Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.

Nick O'Rear was a police officer in Kimberly, Alabama, just north of Birmingham. He lost his life recently when he was shot during a pursuit, according to a piece on the Faithwire website, which reports he was 33 years old, a father of two children, and expecting a third.

The article relates that:

Following O’Rear’s untimely death, Kimberly Mayor Bob Ellerbrock described the slain officer as “a tremendous asset to our community” and a man whom “everybody loved.”

The mayor went on to describe O’Rear’s murder as “senseless.”

Gov. Kay Ivey (R) said in a statement she was “profoundly grieved” to learn about O’Rear’s death, adding, “His sacrifice will never be forgotten.”

Tim Evans was a friend of O'Rear who is with the police department in nearby Warrior.  At the processional for O'Rear, he captured a touching scene.  He has written, “During the procession for Officer Nick O’Rear, so many people lined the streets in the pouring rain to pay tribute to this hero,” adding, “But this one man really caught my attention. I don’t know who this man is, but he knelt in the wet grass and prayed, his hand outstretched as each patrol car passed by.”

So who was this man who knelt in the rain and prayed?  Birmingham television personality Rick Karle provided some insight on his Facebook page:

Joseph Brewer is a simple man. He's never needed much, and that's just fine with him. Joseph's best friend? The Holy Bible, which he has read front to back five times. His faith is real, and down through the years, his faith has been needed.

Joseph Brewer grew up in Pell City, AL and learned about faith as a teenager- that was when he was hit head-on by a drunk driver and suffered serious back injuries and other ailments.

And through it all, his faith pulled him through.

Joseph Brewer cheated death later in life. A bullet would find the back of his head after a group of teens fired into his occupied vehicle.

And through it all, his faith pulled him through.

Joseph Brewer was not done beating the odds. As he helped repair a gas line, the utility truck that was on site accidentally was shifted in the wrong direction, and Joseph was run over. Joseph has made mistakes in his life, but through it all, his faith pulled him through.

Brewer, according to Karle, was friends with Nick O'Rear.  As Karle wrote, "He bowed his head and prayed for what seemed like an eternity as rain pelted his face and the long, sad procession moved along. With mud on his knees and wind whipping through his bones, he prayed for every officer as they sadly drove by."  O'Rear was to be buried in Trussville after a procession from the funeral service at First Baptist Gardendale.  Brewer drove from Ragland, a distance of some 30 miles, to pay tribute.

What an incredible image!  This powerful story can inspire us to remember those who put their lives on the line every day to keep our communities safe, as well as to protect our country.  So, we can remember our law enforcement, first responders, and those who are dispatched all around the world to serve in our military.  This one man kneeling in the rain honoring a fallen officer is a great tribute to those who serve.

We can also, like Joseph Brewer, reflect on how our faith has been instrumental and how we have seen God pull us through.  When we consider how the Lord has worked in our lives in the past, it can give us great confidence to trust Him in the future.  We grow in the Lord through our study of the Word and through prayer, but we can also gain a sense of His presence with us as we remember and thank Him for how He has been faithful.