You Never Really Know

Today was a strange day. It was a reminder for me that even the people you think you know you don't really know. We may see people every day at work or school or at church or in our neighborhoods and think that we know something about those people. However, unless we spend every moment with those people, we really don't know them at all. We can make assumptions about them by the way they dress, what kind of cars they drive, the jobs that they have, or the way they talk. Yet, in the end, you just really never know.
Today we found out that one of the guys who worked for the company that takes care of our computers had been arrested by federal marshals after evading arrest for nine years. Needless to say, we were all stunned. This was a guy who had been in our office quite regularly and had become a familiar face and trusted support person whenever we needed help with our computers. Thankfully his alleged crimes were not related to computer theft or fraud and so the company he worked for assures us that our computers are safe.
What I have felt most today is profound sense of sadness. I felt sad for this person who has essentially been in hiding for nine years and what that must have done to him on the inside. He was playing a role. Each day he came to our office, he was in so many ways living lie. I felt sad for his employer who is really left in the lurch with the loss of a very gifted employee.  I also just felt sad that we never really knew who this person was.
I ask you to join me in praying for this man. I can't begin to imagine the pain and fear that he must be feeling right now. I will never know what was going on in his heart as he tried to hide and evade the justice system. However, what I do know is that he is a precious child of God who is loved and now has a real chance to come clean and find peace.
Thank you for your prayers and for being a part of my journey!