Trench Coat Teen

I asked an older male teen wearing a black trench coat if I could ask him some questions. I specifically went up to him because of the trench coat but I truly was thinking that my preconceived notions would be incorrect and that he would instead be very receptive to talking... That the coat was just a 'front' and that inside he was humble (I'm still searching for a more appropriate word). During recent talks about spiritual things that I have had with 'rough' looking teens, gentleness is what I have found to be more true of their natures. Like gentle 'giants'. Anyway...

Not so with this young man. It looked like he was carrying a bunch of stuff under his coat (even though he had just walked into the mall) and he did not want to tell me his specific spiritual beliefs even though you could tell that he definitely had some. Later on I thought that I should have asked him if he worshiped satan... Yeah, it would not have been an inappropriate question for the situation (and I'm not talking about the coat).

I stood there talking to him and thinking very strongly (but calmly), "He is going to shoot me. Right here in the mall. He is going to shoot me." I have an active imagination, though. I wasn't scared so maybe I really didn't think he was going to shoot me - or, as the actual case must be, it was all Jesus Christ's doing.

I gave him a tract called "School Shootings - The Common Denominator."

Obviously there is a lot that I don't know about the situation as a whole. And, this man may never have even had thoughts of Columbine-style intentions. But, it is an interesting encounter and proof that God provides.

-Sarah