McDonalds, home of Ronald McDonald and of the notorious happy meal. It’s hard to find a more cheerful place, but have you ever imagined what the friendly fast-food restaurant becomes when the Sun goes down?
It was about nine o’clock at night and we were talking with some local Christian rappers. To shelter ourselves from the cold breeze, we decided to sit inside a nearby McDonalds. Unlike what commercials portray, the restaurant was desolate, with the exception of some teenagers.
One group in particular was very rowdy and their behavior oozed a belief that this was their restaurant, but paying no mind to anything, my brother and the Christian rap duo, Lorenzo and Mark, continued their business-concerned conversation. Lorenzo’s wife and I sat quietly.
Soon enough, the group of males, that had since grown, began to approach our group of five. Within seconds, we were surrounded. Lorenzo quickly reacted, not with fists or threats, but with compassion. He responded to them with calm and ease, even giving each individual a free shirt from his Christian clothing line. I remember one reading “Christ or Nothing,” as I clenched my Jesus bracelet thanking God for a safe end to the night.
Looking back at it, McDonalds will never look the same to me because I have literally seen its dark side. I was scared that night and I’d be a fool if otherwise. It wasn’t the first “sketchy” situation I’ve encountered, but having been able to walk away from past situations, doesn’t guarantee that I will always have the luxury of doing so. Those boys were far from their logic and only they know what was in their pockets. All I know is that I did not want to find out.
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When you put God first, he will make sure you remain protected.
