The river next to the farm was the perfect fishing place. Two boys frequented its banks. It was their hideaway on the edge of the campus.
On one summer day, the fish were biting in the middle of the river. It was strange, except for the deep holes. As they tried to cast farther, they struggled with the rod’s limitation. One was a sea rod, the other a local rod designed for bottom fishing. Casting from a riverbank was not what the makers had in mind!
As the day progressed, they kept moving upstream. The farm gave way to the neighbor’s land and then train trestle. Both knew the Deccan Queen used this bridge twice a day, but fishing was the only thing on their minds.
As frustration continued to build, both looked at the bridge. What if they could cast from the middle of the bridge?
Everything unfolded according to their imaginations. Soon they were standing on the open ties next to one of the poles holding the electric lines for the train. The warmth of the sun, occasional strike, and soft breeze lulled them into a sense of peace.
The Deccan Queen’s bellow changed everything.
Tim ran for his life. He had just brought in his line to add fresh bait. He scrambled, ran, and yelled for the other to join him.
It was a difficult choice. The line was in the river. His bicycle was lying beside him. If he left, both would be lost. Without thinking, he chose to stay.
I often wonder why I made that choice. As the train ran by just a few inches from my leg, I considered jumping. It was more than forty feet to the water.
Moments change everything. In an old situation, when a single fact came to light, it “put a stop to the interrogation. And it put the fear of God into the captain. He had put a Roman citizen in chains and come within a whisker of putting him under torture!” (Acts 22.29)
Today will be a series of moments.
