Free Angels of Humility: A Novel by Jackie Macgirvin Page A

the wiser of the two plans.
    “Humans are blinded by their pride because they compare themselves to one another. If you stop and look at Jesus alone, you will get a true comparison. Looking at Jesus is the only way we can see where we truly stand. It is in Him we find our example of love and humility. If we look at those around us, we will not get a true measurement of what we are supposed to look like. 3 Trust me, Paul; no one in Heaven is impressed with your five-year plan.”

     
    There was a good turnout Wednesday evening; even Wilma, Bernice, and Carol had come. It was about 6:45 and Paul was chatting with a group of people; the conversation was predictably about the jail.
    “We need to pray, to pray that place right out of our town,” said Wilma, shaking her fist. “Maybe we should pray and even
fast.”
    “Yes, I agree. Our town will never be safe. Our kids could never play safely outside,” said John Seas, even though his main concern was really for his property’s value. He and Lori had been planning to sell off part of their acreage to help finance some travel when he retired in eight months.
    “What if, Heaven forbid, one of them escaped?” questioned Bernice.
    “Maybe we could pass around a petition among the church members,” added Carol. “The whole idea just gives me the creeps.”
    “I can see that this is a very important issue to all of us,” said Paul. “I’ll lead us in prayer about it tonight, and we’ll see what comes out of this meeting.”
    Sarah arrived about the time the group was breaking up. She snuck into the back row and didn’t wait for the meeting to start. She closed her eyes and prayed,
Lord, thank You for being good to me. Thank You for the way You’ve been talking to me lately. Help me to love the unlovely. Help me to pray more
,
especially for Pastor Paul and this congregation. Help me to love Your Word, and help me to hear Your voice in all the ways You speak to me—
    “It’s 7,” said Paul, adjusting the microphone, “Time to start. Thanks to each one of you who came to this prayer meeting tonight. We’ll have an open mic so if you have something you want to pray about, I invite you to come forward. At 8 I’ll close, providing the Spirit doesn’t fall and keep us here all night,” he said chuckling.
    Joel looked at Malta. “No chance of that happening.”
    There was an uncomfortable five-minute period where no one went forward. All heads were bowed, praying that someone, anyone, would pray. Finally, Wilma decided that she would break the silence. As she walked to the microphone there was a collective, silent sigh of relief.
    “Dear Lord, You know about the jail that they want to put in our town. I’d ask You to cancel these plans and send them back to the devil, where they came from.” Amens resounded from all corners of the room. “You know that the town’s children need to go to bed at night feeling safe, and we need to go to bed at night knowing our children are safe. That would just never happen again once they break ground on a jail.”
    Sarah sat in the back row in shock, her heart pounded.
Lord did I hear wrong? I was so sure it was You
.
    Lying whispered, “Of course you heard wrong. These people have been Christians for years. Listen to the rest of the prayers and you’ll get your answer as to who is right and
who
is wrong.”
    There were two prayers about finding the right pastor, and Michelle Bunkoff prayed for her husband to be saved and the gallbladder problems he had to be healed. Bernice prayed for the homebound members, and all the other 30 prayers were against the jail.
    Two new demonic reinforcements also attended the prayer meeting that evening—Respectability and Intimidation were there to help sway Sarah. It was 7:50 and she was still wrestling with whether to go forward.
    “You got ridiculed the last time you sincerely thought you heard the Lord,” said Respectability.
    “Remember how sure you were, and remember how no one in