“Jenny, come on. Let’s go to the store,” I called. “I need to get some milk and soup for dinner.” Jenny came running into the front room. She had been playing with her Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls in the bedroom.

As I knelt down and put her new coat on her, I realized that size 2 was a little large. With her round little cheeks and the oversized coat, she looked like a teddy bear all bundled up.   Chattering about taking her babies to the store and buying them candy kept her occupied while I buttoned her coat.

Suddenly there was a loud knock at the front door. I stood up and went to answer it. When I opened the door, there was a police officer standing on my doorstep. Noticing a movement to the side, I glanced to the left. There was an officer standing with his back against the house right by the door. He was watching me very carefully. Another officer was standing a few feet behind the first one, with his hand perched on top of his pistol. Hearing a noise behind me, I turned around quickly. There was another officer at my back door. I could see him through the window in the door. Police surrounded me! What was going on? I hadn’t done anything!

The officer on the step seemed very nice as he spoke. “Miss, we have received a report of a child beating at this address.” Do you mind if we take a look around?”

I opened the door and told them to come in. Jenny, in the mean time, was sitting on the floor playing happily with her dolls. (Boy, was I glad!)

As the police went through my house looking for a beaten child, I sat on the coach and held my daughter. I lived in a small one bedroom duplex with Jenny. It didn’t take long for the policemen to search the place.

The officers didn’t find a thing, so they called the emergency number back. The person that reported the beating swore that my house was the right address.

One of the officers apologized and gave Jenny some bubble gum as the others scouted the neighborhood.

Later that afternoon, my neighbor who lived two houses down dropped by.   She was divorced too, but she had four kids instead of just one. As I told her about what happened earlier, the color slowly drained from her face while she listened.

Then she quietly said, “That was me. I was beating my kids this afternoon. They just won’t behave. What else can I do?” She turned and left quietly.

Things you do in secret will be found out one day. So whatever you do, do it to the glory of the Lord!

For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open.

Luke 8:17