A Hero’s Farewell

For those of you not familiar with the story, he was a 29-year-old officer who did a routine traffic stop. The man he pulled over was let out on parole through a glitch in the system, and shot Officer Moore six times-two in the face. Moore was transported to the hospital where he was in a coma. It wasn't until a few days later his condition was stable enough to do an MRI that revealed no brain activity, so his family took him off life support and donated his organs.

Tuesday was a rough day for me-the funeral for Officer Moore, which I watched like a train wreck-knowing I should turn away but hardly being able to. I sobbed heavy in the watching of it. Just when I had gotten it together, Bella came in and asked why I was sad and I had to explain all over again. "Is that daddy in the box?" And of course my mind switched down that path I had tried to keep it from. "No, sweetie. That's not daddy. He's there, but not there." Oh, blessed difference of location! Silence as she watched people file past his coffin, laying flowers, touching the wood, saying a silent thank you and good bye. "Why did that man shoot the police officer?" I think we've all wondered that in the week and half since it started. "Because there's sin in the world. Remember mommy told you about sin and people doing bad things?" She nods. More watching. "Well, if I was there? I would tell that man not to shoot because we're family." Oh, that's true on so many levels: there is the police family, a surprising and comforting bond, and there's the family we are all in as sons of Adam. We are all sinners. My sins are no less heinous than that man firing rounds directly into the body of Officer David Moore. How sad, but how sweet, to hear his own mother-a police lieutenant-give David's final 10-42 (what officers call in when they're off duty). How God was glorified and pointed to in that service. It reminds me of the verses in 2 Corinthians 4:

We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; ⁹ persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. ¹⁰ We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. ¹¹ For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body.

So very glad for Jesus being crushed, persecuted and struck down on my behalf, that in all the crazy sin of this world, I can have peace and comfort.