The Game

                                                             

“Run!” I whispered hoarsely.

           “I’m going. Do you see anyone?” Hissed Cynthia, wide-eyed and obviously scared.

“No one yet!”

Quickly, I looked around, making sure that we were alone and unspotted. Ahead of us I noticed a pile of construction material with a tarp pulled over.

“Let’s hide under there.” I said, pointing, while I grabbed her hand.

We crawled under the tarp, panting with exhaustion. Safe at last! Maybe we could work on memorizing a little more forbidden scripture and…

“I’m scared, I hear them! They are coming!” Cynthia startled.

          “The guards? Are you sure?” I peeked under the tarp.

“Yes! What can we do?”

Realistically, I knew that there wasn’t enough room for both of us under the tarp. One of us must leave the shelter before we were both discovered.

          “Stay here! Don’t say anything.” I cautioned as I wriggled out from underneath the tarp. Finding some pallets nearby, I laid down beside them.

“Ah Ha! I knew you were here somewhere.!” Snarled one of the guards.

          “Where is the other one? There were two of you. I know! I saw!” The guards circled the area, kicking at the tarp. I held my breath.

After searching me for scripture the guards let me go. They didn’t find anything.

“Run!” They snapped.

And run I did. But not for long.

“I’ve got to get back to Cynthia!” I thought.

Turning around, I caught sight of another guard. “Oh no! He saw me!” My heart sank. Now I figured, all I could do was distract him. By running away from, towards, and around him, I lured him away from Cynthia’s whereabouts. Finally, I knew I had no option but to risk being caught by him. Staunchly, I marched past him.

         “Stop!” the guard ordered.

“Hey! Great to see you! Have a great day!” I chirped, winking and lamely trying to entice him to mercy.

         “No. Stop!” The guard again ordered. This time tapping me on my jacket.

“Oh, okay, question me.” I finally said

After a few questions, the guard assumed he couldn’t find anything and let me go. Now running full speed, I raced towards the tarp, and, not stopping when I got to it, whispered for Cynthia to follow me. Not hesitating, she scampered out and grabbed my hand.

         “I thought you were gone forever! I was so scared!” She said.

         “I was going to leave and try to make it back to camp, but then a guard came, so I had to stay. Where do we go now?” She was barely whispering.

Still walking, I looked around, trying to identify the safest route to take. There was a trail in the forest just a little way away that was well hidden. I had discovered it when I was trying to get back to Cynthia.

         “Let’s go towards the right. We should find a trail we can follow.” I told her.

As we walked, we came across Cynthia’s older sister and her friend.

         “Where are you going?” They asked

“We are trying to find a trail that will take us back to camp.” We said.

          “We’ll join you.” The new girls decided.

Now a party of four, we stealthfully tiptoed through the forest and the occasional marsh land towards camp. Everything was going well until we noticed that we were almost entirely encircled by guards.

“Girls, get down. Quickly!” I motioned violently.

Thankfully none of the guards had noticed us and we remained unseen for quite some time. Finally, when we thought the coast was clear, we got up and half crawling, half walking, resumed our journey.

          “Guards!” I yelled.

Too late. We were spotted.

          “Run!” Screeched the girls.

“Run!” I echoed as I pushed the girls in front of me.

          “But where?”  Suddenly they looked puzzled and like sheep being attacked by a wolf.

“Anywhere! Straight ahead! Make a break for camp! Go!” Desperately I tried to create a barrier with my body between them and the encroaching guard.

        “We’re going!” They yelled, just in time, as the guard grabbed me

 “Hahaha” The guard laughed. “I got you now! Would you happen to have a piece of scripture in your right shirt pocket?”

Obliged to tell the truth, I pulled the slip of paper out of its hiding place.

“To jail you go.” Said the guard.

       Game over. I was caught.

As I marched to jail, I saw the other girls, safe away from the guards, coming towards camp.

“Whew!” I sighed. “That was close. I hope they make it safely.”

Once in jail, I had time to reflect. In all truth, this was a game. We were out camping and had decided to pretend to be Waldensians for the afternoon. Hunted for our faith and preserving scripture in the midst of it. But what if it wasn’t a game? What if this had been real life? What if I was actually responsible for three little girls? If I had to make a split-second decision between life and death for their sakes, would I choose death as easily as I chose jail during the game?

I wanted to reassure myself that I would. But the question couldn’t be that easily satisfied.

The Bible says:

“Greater love hath no man, but to lay down his life for that of his friend.” (John 15:13)

This is the love that Jesus exhibited to us on earth.

“Surely He has borne our griefs

And carried our sorrows;

Yet we esteemed Him stricken,

Smitten by God, and afflicted.

But He was wounded for our transgressions,

He was bruised for our iniquities;

The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,

And by His stripes we are healed.”

 (Isaiah 53:4-5)

If Christ, the God of heaven did this for us, then why can’t I a mere human do this for another? The conclusion of the matter for me that day was that only by God’s strength can I or anyone else have the kind of love that lays down its life for a friend.

 “’My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore, most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” (2 Corinthians 12:9)