What a difference a chapter can make.

I recently told you that chapter 22 of The Bridge from OneDayBow is one of my favorites, and it is. Part of the reason behind that is the way the story came together for me. But when it comes to chapter 23, I would classify it as my saddest chapter. Let me tell you why.

Chapter 23 reintroduces a character from Tim’s past: Heidi. You might remember her name from chapter 5. Yes, this is the same Heidi who previously told Tim she had been adopted by the great and loving King. “Being His child is better than any other thing.”

We have every reason to believe that Heidi meant those words at the time, so why did Tim have to go looking for her on Front Street? By every indication that was not a very good part of town, not a part of town you would expect a child of the King to be hanging out.

Before we go deeper into the story, I need to tell you something. There really was a Heidi. She was the foster-daughter of a friend of mine. The real Heidi did not have a good start in life, but through the Providence of God she came to live in a home with two wonderful, genuine Christian parents. And through them, she came to know and believe the love of God.

You probably noticed the past tense grammar I used: there was a real Heidi. For whatever reason, or perhaps because of many heartbreaking reasons, Heidi left the safety and security of that Christian home and ended up on the streets. Her death was tragic, and came much too young.

Why do I tell you all this? While I don’t know all the details of the real Heidi’s story, nor do I even know all the details of the fictional Heidi, the sad message is found in the fact that they would turn aside from genuine love and security to pursue something less. They both were lured away by deception, and both chose to chase after that which led them away from the Truth.

The reasons why this chapter is a sad one for me are many, but above all because I know many who once walked with Jesus but later chose to walk their own way. My concerns for them are real, but I must remember that I am not the Author of their story. And I don’t know the ending.  God alone knows the details of every person’s life, from conception to completion. Trusting God with the lives of those who have chosen Him, and then chosen against Him, is the very best thing to do.

But the question remains, what is my part in the lives of the “Heidi’s” of this the world?