Discernment

I read this prayer by the King of Ancient Israel 3000 years ago, and it made me think of Arlington officers, so this is my thought/prayer for you this week:

I am your servant; give me discernment…

Every time I see an officer talking to a witness, complainant or just about anybody involved in a call, you always have your notebook and are writing down what you hear. You are trained to listen to all sides of the story and then, to the best of your ability, discern the situation and make a call on what to do. Fortunately, EVERYBODY is ALWAYS 100% honest with law enforcement, so this makes discerning the truth easy! (heavy sarcasm)
     
Sometimes you have to discern and act more quickly whether it is something like reading a person’s body language or maybe rolling up on a dangerous call. Quickly discerning the situation and acting can be a matter of safety.
     
The job you do is dangerous, fluid and rarely black and white. I thought about that as I read a prayer by King David this weekend where he said, "I am your servant; give me discernment."
     
So that’s my thought or prayer for you this week. I am asking for you to be given discernment whether it’s as simple as hearing two different sides of a story or dealing with a situation that could be dangerous.
     
Your service is appreciated,
Pastor Rob