PRAYER IN ACTION ON THE BRIDGE

One Friday evening last year, I was driving home to St. Louis, Missouri, with a college friend. As we were crossing a bridge over the Mississippi River, I noticed a human figure on foot on the right side of the road. Immediately, I started wondering why someone might be crossing the bridge at midnight. There's really not much to do on the other side of the bridge, and the only establishment is a gas station that probably would have been closed.

Before too long, I began to realize there was probably only one reason someone might be crossing the bridge, and that was to jump.

All my life, I had been raised by my parents to look to God in times of need for direction and guidance. At that moment I felt the unmistakable, tangible presence of God, and I knew I couldn't ignore that.

I pulled the car over to the side of the road and paused. Then I shut the car off and said, “OK, Father, you've got me working for you. What is it you want me to do?”

My friend and I got out of the car and walked over to the side of the road, where this figure was approaching, and noticed that it was a teenage boy, probably 16 or 17 years old. He had dark clothes on and a hooded sweatshirt pulled over his head.

As he approached, I asked, “Do you need a lift somewhere? Is everything all right?”

He just brushed me off and walked right past, but under his breath I heard him say that he was going to commit suicide.

I caught up with him quickly and continued to speak with him. He was frustrated by my attempts to interfere with his plans, and climbed up over the railing to the very outside edge of the structure. When he did this, I insisted that he come back onto my side and give it another thought.

He looked back at me and then turned again towards the river and lunged, as if to make the jump. At that point, the only thing separating him and me was a railing, about waist high.

I reached over and grabbed his sweatshirt, and contained him physically for a moment. He shrugged me off and continued walking towards the center of the bridge on the outside strip of concrete, only a foot or two wide.

Again I caught up with him, and we walked side by side — he on his side of the railing and me on mine. I asked him about his family, and he revealed how desperate his situation seemed; how he felt his family didn't love him; that he had nothing worth living for; and that at his church he felt rejected because of his obvious economic disadvantage, and the clothes he wore.

I did my best to convince him of his value to God and to the world. He had told me he had a little brother, and I spoke to him of the love his brother must have for him. And how he could be an important role model in his brother's life.

He continued walking. I was wondering whether any of my words were making an impact on him. Along the way, we had several more physical confrontations where he needed to be restrained or he would have jumped.

As we were walking, I thought, “Father, what is it I need to say to be effective?”

And I just looked at him, and said, “I love you, and I value your life.”

He didn't know quite what to make of this. But I could tell it had an impact on him. He grew visibly more calm and contemplative.

Within a few minutes, the police arrived, having noticed my car on the side of the road. The boy climbed back over the railing and onto the road again. I breathed a sigh of relief. For that night, anyway, he had decided against making a fateful decision.

As I lay in bed that evening, I gave gratitude for the events of the evening. More than anything, I was grateful to have seen the need of my brother, and to have responded as best I could, with the help of God.

This, and other experiences, have made me think a lot about the link we need to make between prayer and action. Throughout the years, the Bible and the writings of Mary Baker Eddy have been a great inspiration to me as I've tried to make this link.

The Gospel of Luke says, “For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required” (12:48 ). Another passage that has served as a powerful and personal call to action many times in my life, is from an essay entitled “Love” in Miscellaneous Writings. In that piece, Mrs. Eddy says, “Love is not something put upon a shelf, to be taken down on rare occasions with sugar-tongs and laid on a rose-leaf. I make strong demands on love, call for active witnesses to prove it, and noble sacrifices and grand achievements as its results. Unless these appear, I cast aside the word as a sham and counterfeit, having no ring of the true metal. Love cannot be a mere abstraction, or goodness without activity and power” (p. 250 ).

I love this quotation because it explains what love really is. It's easy to feel love for a family member, or a close friend, but the more difficult thing is to connect love with action when it involves someone you don't know. I'm sure many people have offered a helping hand to a relative or someone close to them. Jesus lived a similar love. But he was also able to help strangers who were in need. He even loved those who wanted to put a stop to his healing and teaching.

So this is our privilege, too. To love as Jesus did. Especially when it seems to be inconvenient or uncomfortable to do so.