Reap what you sow….

Six o’clock could not come soon enough! Was it Saturday or Sunday? Far as I could figure we had been on 7/10’s for over two months now and like happens when you work seven days a week, ten hours a day, neither days nor time have much relevance. All I wanted now was to find the closest liquor store and get me a fifth of whiskey and a 6 pack of malt liquor. Then head to the motel and clean this grime off of me. Food just wasn’t that important, but I sure needed a drink.

After getting the supplies at the liquor store, I pulled into the motel parking lot, but something was not right, cops were everywhere and there was an ambulance sitting almost directly in front of my door. What was going on? Trying to pull my truck into the parking lot around all the commotion, a cop stopped me and said, “You can’t come in here right now this is a crime scene.” As he was saying this, he was whirling his arm the direction I just came in, directing me out. When I didn’t back up, he drew closer to the window and said, “Hey, buddy, didn’t you hear what I said? I need you to get this vehicle out of here. No one is allowed to enter.” As he approached closer, I said, “Yeah, I heard you but that is my room and I need to get some sleep, 4:00 AM comes pretty quick. What am I supposed to do?”

All of a sudden, he seemed to have more interest in me. Looking closer at my truck, then going around to check out my license plate, he said, “Are you one of the construction workers staying here?” Now I felt a shock of fear run through me. Was all of this about one of my crew mates? Trying to think if anyone was missing onsite today or if someone had left early. No, all were accounted for, but still… Reluctantly I said, “Yeah I am here with four other guys, what is going on?” He told me to park my truck over in a vacant lot close to the motel, the Sergeant would probably like to talk to me. This was getting worser and worser.

Parking the truck, he came back with what looked like a plain clothes cop and before I could get out of my truck, he leaned into the window and said, “Could I see your ID, sir?” When I reached for my wallet, he spoke again, “Slowly, with one hand!” I raised my left hand and reached for my back pocket with my right, drawing out my wallet. Handing it to him, I asked again, “What is this all about? I just want to get to my room.”

He whispered to the uniform cop and I was sure they were going to run my info and as the uniform left, the Sergeant said, “Which room is yours, there has been an altercation here. A man has been injured outside that room.” He was pointing to my room and my heart went cold. I spoke with a shaky voice, “I am in room 4.” Pointing at the door where all the activity was going on. The uniform had come back as I was saying this and whispered to the Sergeant. Who then turned to me and said, “Mr. Weston, do you know a man named William Kyle?” I breathed in hard, thinking, Billy? What has happened to Billy? To the cop I just nodded and said, “Yeah, he is a friend of mine. What has happened to him?”

The cop did not give me the details, but it was clear that Billy had been jumped while knocking on my door. It seems some local, the husband of a girl Billy had been messing with had beat him pretty bad. The cop then asked me, “Do you know anything about Mr. Kyle’s activities since he has been here?” I thought, oh yeah, I knew about Billy and his way’s with women. But to the cop, I just shrugged my shoulders. This was going to be a long night!

In my years as an Ironworker, I traveled a lot. It is called ‘booming’ within the trades and those that do it are called boomers. Most of the time, a crew, as few as 3 or as many as 5, would ‘boom out’ together. Finding jobs that had a lot of overtime that would last 3 months or less. In the good years there was plenty of that kind of work to be found.

For me it was always a time of loose morality. A stranger in a strange town, not staying for long led to many temptations and like so many of my crew mates, I had no reason to resist. My theory back then was, get it while you can! No one is going to know what you are doing. Kind of like the commercial that I have heard advertising the pleasures of Las Vegas. Their theme is, “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas!” There is only one problem with that, it aint true!

What I learned but never took to heart, was that all my actions have a reaction. There are consequences to everything we do. God’s Word says it plainly, “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. Whatever a man sows, he will reap in return. The one who sows to please his flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; but the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.…” (Galatians 6: 7-8)

No matter what any of us believe. Our actions are like tossing a pebble in a pond, the ripples that flow out affect everything in their path. I took this to heart way to late in my life. And because of that I left a lot of pain, hurt and broken relationships in my wake. It is only through the grace of God, as shown through the cross of Jesus Christ, that today I can stand forgiven. It is my prayer that you who read this heed the warning, now!

My friend Billy paid the price physically and I wish I could say that changed him, but it didn’t. Nor did it change me, only a few years later I was in a similar situation where an irate husband was on my trail for messing with his wife. I look back on those time with regret and have tried to make amends where I can. I am blessed to know we have a God who loves so completely that he will accept a repentant sinner like myself. He is waiting for you too, my friend. Look in the mirror today. If you don’t like what you see, turn to HIM who saves completely. You will find peace.

Blessings,
John
4/15/19

Author: John

Christian blogger