Choosing to Walk Away

There are things taking place around you that God does not want you to get used to. They were never meant for you to become comfortable with their presence in your life. It is time to break away and walk away.

Once, while working vice, we got information of a prostitution ring operating out of a seamy men’s club in San Jose, California called the Pink Poodle. The club was a lurid place. Partially clad women danced atop a long runway surrounded by men who would tip them based on how appealing the performance was.

Our vice team was made up of four officers, three men, and one woman. The female officer was a very young woman without any street experience. She looked younger than her 22 years. Her assignment was to go up to the bar and sit down. We were trolling her to see if the pimp or female bartender who helped the pimp, would approach her with an offer to become part of the stable of prostitutes they ran out of the club. This is rough work, even for experienced cops. You see and hear things that only the cleansing power of God’s love can scrub from your memory.

When we entered the bar the three male officers provided cover for our female partner. I sat close to her on a nearby barstool to listen to the conversation. After our female officer ordered a drink, the female bartender started to make her move.  Our officer was everything these criminals wanted. She was young and pretty and innocent looking. The bartender could tell the surroundings were a shock to our female officer. The officer was not play-acting. She was in shock and so is anyone experiencing this level of degradation for the first time.

The bartender leaned over the bar and said, “Honey, I know all of this is a bit shocking. Just keep coming back. You will eventually get used to it.” I will never forget those last 7 words – “You will eventually get used to it.” A dark chill ran up my spine as I heard hell speaking. We eventually found the pimp and made the connection and arrests. The prostitution ring was broken. The events that took place in the Pink Poodle illustrate a reality for a believer.

There are things taking place in each of our lives that unless we disconnect from them immediately, we will “eventually get used to it.” These things are not always the obvious like a scene in a movie you should fast-forward or a conversation that takes an uncomfortable turn to become something base. Some of the things we get used to can be demeaning conversations about people or groups or the promise of “just one more time and then I will quit” when it comes to sinful behavior.

What have you become comfortable with in your life that you need to walk away from? Just like the backup we provided to our female partner, God is in the middle of your situation ready to help you walk away. A way of escape is always present. You never have to get used to anything. With God, there is always a way out.

“No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.” I Corinthians 10:13