Over seven years ago, I was an usher at a movie theater. It feels like a lifetime ago, but every Monday and every Tuesday I would work from 11 am to 6 pm. I cleaned theaters, tore tickets, briefly worked in the box office, and I stood at the usher’s podium for every shift. At the usher’s podium, I not only tore tickets, but I answered radio calls regularly and made management aware of concerns and issues pertaining to customers and all theater employees.
In between the busy periods, I would count the torn ticket stubs to get an estimate of how crowded each movie theater was. I did this so that my fellow coworkers would know if they needed help from management in getting all the theaters clean after each showing.
There was one shift, however, that still remains with me today. I look back on it still and think not only of what could have happened, but of what thankfully never came to pass.
On a Tuesday, one of our busiest days, there was a couple not much younger or older than me, who came to see a movie in our main auditorium. They both walked up to the podium, pulled out their cellphones and positioned their phones to scan their QR codes and to print out their tickets.
Before I could say, “Enjoy the show,” I stopped before letting them in. At that very moment, I noticed something out of the ordinary. It was something that was cause for concern.
On both of the couples’ waists, tucked in two individual holsters, were two pistols.
It was against company policy to allow any weapons of any size or form into any of our theaters nationwide. Knowing this, I then said to them, “I’m sorry, but due to company policy, we don’t allow guns. I’m going to have to ask you to return them to your vehicle before I can let you go to your movie.”
They could have been angry. They could have caused a scene. They could have even done the worst and actually harmed those who were there at the theater that day with their personal weapons of choice.
Yet, they did no such thing. They simply said, “Sure man, we’re sorry. Thanks for letting us know.” Then they went back to their vehicle outside, locked their pistols in their car, and returned to watch what was probably the latest Marvel movie.
While nothing thankfully happened at all, I still look back at this moment and I reflect on what occured.
I don’t think about what they could have done. More importantly, I think about what I did not do.
When I saw the couple with the two pistols that day, I did not scream, I did not panic, and I did not make a scene. Also, I heard no voices in my mind that made me afraid of them.
As someone who has lived with schizophrenia for over 21 years, me calmly just doing my job that day is something that I consider to be a miracle. It is also something I believe that is a prime example of God’s amazing grace and of His protection.
Is there a moment in your life when you thought you couldn’t make it? Is there a moment when you were overwhelmed by anxiety, adversity, or even genuine danger?
I imagine there are many that come to mind. There certainly are for me. Moving forward, it is important for me and for you to remember how God strengthened us in these moments, how He provided for us, and how He will enable us to be able to face anything.
Whether it is simply facing tomorrow, a challenging workday, a difficult conversation, or even an alleged “plague,” He will always be there. He reigns above all the “doomers,” all of the plagues and all of the madness of this world. He truly loves and He truly cares. Despite all our weaknesses, He can and He will make us true outliers.
Thank you for reading. More stories and songs are coming soon!
Until next time,
Jacob R. McGowen
