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short of the glory of God"
and you will be saved"
the right to become children of God"
power of Christ forsaking them, go for ward to live
for Christ. He will give forgiveness, power, victory,
purpose, the Holy Spirit and life eternal.
the edge of the borough near the Manhattan Bridge.
One of the benefits of living in this area was the vi-
sual access that one might have to the beautiful
Manhattan Skyline, and although we all knew the
dangers and challenges that resided within that
skyline, we were often captivated by its allure.
incredible!" Others would go on about the way the
Empire State Building's top lights reflected the color
of the season or holiday that we were nearest to,
but I couldn't relate to the joy associated with any
of those things. Do you know why? Well, you see,
New York City and its surrounding areas are largely
made up of tall buildings. I lived in one of these tall
buildings, and next to me was another building, not
taller than the one I lived in, but just tall enough to
block my view of Manhattan. For eighteen years of
my life, I would open the blinds of the window in
hopes of seeing Manhattan, but to no avail. Instead,
what stood in front of my window, just tall enough
Big Stupid Red Shield"; a building with a huge Sal-
vation Army shield painted on the side of it. Daily,
I would complain to my mother profusely, "Mom! I
would love to see the city, but I can't because this
Big Stupid Red Shield is in the way!"
helped men of all ages fight against the grip of ad-
diction that often originated in the darkness behind
the lights of the city I so dearly wanted to see.
being honest, now that I'm a bit older, I'm happy
that Big Stupid Red Shield blocked my view to the
city. Maybe, God used that shield as more than a
symbol or a logo, but as a shield of protection, so
that I didn't fantasize too much about things that I
wasn't ready to see. My hope is that, as a Salvation
Army Officer, I can be that shield of protection for
others as well.