Red (Scarlet) Flags Unheeded

Book excerpt: Blindsided by two teenage boys occupying a monstrous Dodge Ram while they were fantasizing about their intentions to commit a homicidal blunt force tragedy, this information, in addition to my learning of the instrumental betrayals by multitudes of their mentors, which was a plethora of principals, educators, proclaimed community leaders, their associates, parents and friends of friends, reminded me sternly of the psalmist's words inspired by the Holy Spirit: "Do not put your trust in princes, in human beings who cannot save." Accountable to God, religiously donning my fitness attire, I am continually reminding myself that my health and well-being are disciplines that the Holy Spirit dwells within this temple and that I was subject to God's authority and must maintain this temple for his presence, a temple acceptable and inhabitable by the Holy Spirit. I was eager to ensue upon the beautiful evening jaunt. I was aware that the battlefield continually looms with darkness, but what I also knew for certain on that particular evening was that I was a child of God and I was going to live my life-long desires to share and promote God's love. What I didn't know was that my continual attempts to preserve this temple he resides in was becoming savagely under attack by the evil one. This spiritual attack, turned physical, was in a boldly mounting progression for years. The evil one worked through the hearts, minds, and spirits of these two teenage boys in addition to those they were emulating day after day, their multitude of mentors, their earthly rulers who made decisions and judgments erringly and unjustly, all critically immorally coexisting still.