The Grace Card Page #3

if you choose to go mute.

Now, there's actually

a bucket full of truths

he's laid on my heart this morning,

but y'all don't worry.

I wanna get to Sunday supper

just as bad as you do.

We're just gonna talk about one.

What you and me and God

gotta talk about this Sunday morning

is a crazy little thing called love.

All right.

Now, when somebody loves you,

there ain't a thing easier

than loving them back, amen?

Amen.

And there ain't a thing easier

than loving one of our own either.

- Amen.

- Your mama and daddy.

- Your brothers and sisters.

- Yeah.

Your children. Your friends.

We love the people God gives us,

don't we?

Yes, we do.

- That's because it's easy.

- Amen.

But what about

when it's not easy?

What about a stranger?

Or someone who ain't exactly

sweetness and light?

What if it's somebody

who just plain don't like you?

- You love them anyway.

- That's right.

You love them anyway.

Do we?

Really?

Do we really?

I'm not sure I do.

Especially when I can feel white eyes

burning through my black skin

just because of that black skin.

And a certain word

that seems to be on his mind.

I don't feel like loving that man.

And you don't either, do you?

About the last thing in my heart

in that moment is loving that man.

And I don't know about you,

but it sure seems that when God

has something to teach me,

he brings me a teacher.

I don't always like the lesson.

And I usually don't like

being taught.

That didn't go

like I hoped it would.

It was a tad subdued.

Maybe the Lord wants me

to be a cop after all.

So you're saying?

At this rate, he won't graduate.

Sorry, Mrs. McDonald,

but we've been sounding

this warning bell for over a year now.

He can make it up.

If he puts his mind to it...

There's just too much to make up.

So, what are our options?

At the very least, he's going

to have to repeat his senior year.

My husband will be so pleased.

Well, it is what it is.

I guess we'll be back

next year.

You know, I wonder

if we're prolonging the inevitable.

Do you think Blake would be happier

in public school?

No.

No, we want Blake

in a private-school environment.

Ridgelake will not be inviting

Blake back for next year.

I'm sorry.

- It's gonna be big. We'll come get you.

- It's gonna be huge.

- Later, guys, gotta go.

- See you.

Hi, honey.

How was school today?

It was fine.

Drive away quickly, please.

What's the matter?

A 12th grader getting picked up

by his mother? Hello?

Oh, of course.

We really have to do this?

I think you're gonna

like Dr. Vines.

She's pretty cool.

What does she wanna

talk about?

Us, our family.

Great.

Or we could go and talk to your

father about repeating your senior year

if you'd prefer.

So how long were you planning

to keep that from us?

Night before graduation?

He's gonna kill me,

isn't he?

Not if you do this for me.

Am I supposed to

say something?

Do you wanna

say something?

It's your meeting.

Actually it's not. It's your mom's.

Then why did you leave her

in the waiting room?

Maybe there's something

you don't want her to hear.

- No, I tell my mom everything.

- Really?

- Everything?

- More than I would tell you.

Look, I'm only here for her, okay?

- So let's get on with your spiel...

- I don't have a spiel.

Well, what have you been

doing for her?

Same as this. Listening.

Listening.

- And charging her money.

- It's kind of the way counseling works.

Has she told you

we don't have any money?

No wonder my dad's going off

the deep end.

- Hm. He's not happy about this, huh?

- No, and you know something?

For once I might see his point.

Christian counselor?

What a freaking waste.

Huh. Like throwing 20 grand down

a private-school toilet every year

for an ungrateful kid who'd rather

party than turn in his homework?

I don't need this.

And now another 20 grand

for an extra year.

Oh, my bad. It isn't.

Public school, here we come.

How's old Dad

gonna take that one?

Let's understand each other.

I'm here for your mom too.

I'm aware of

your family's financial situation.

She's getting me for nothing

right now, Blake.

I can't afford that,

but I kind of have a soft heart

for a family that's coming apart

at the seams.

And while we're on the subject of me,

I'm not a Christian counselor.

I'm a counselor

who happens to be a Christian.

There's a big difference,

and if you ever graduate

from high school,

you might just learn

what that is.

So since we're both here for her,

why don't you and I start all over?

I didn't exactly nail

it last Sunday, Grandpa.

- You stunk the place up, did you?

- Oh, man, I did.

You know, I tried to preach

love your enemies

to some soldiers once.

I wound up getting a bottle

thrown at my head.

Man.

- Training ain't never over, you know.

- Yes, sir, I know.

This grace thing

is another tough thing.

It's always easier to receive grace,

but it's hard for us to give it away.

And I learned that the hard way when

I was trying to raise your daddy.

So tell me,

what's your choices?

- Stay on it or move on.

- What you feeling?

How much I like the path

of least resistance.

I feel like I'm failing at

what I was put on this earth to do.

All I'm doing is cheerleading

at church.

There's nothing wrong with that.

When I feel like my city's

about to burst into flames again?

You see the same things I see.

I wanna make a difference,

like you did.

Uh-huh.

I can't do that spending 40 hours

a week in the streets

instead of growing my ministry.

What is your ministry?

- My church, of course.

- Oh, I see.

You think you're just gonna

sit up there in your tower

and wait for this divine message

you're gonna get from Jesus, huh?

So you can preach to us

how we gonna change the world?

- Huh?

- No.

But it does sound kind of nice,

to be honest.

A little classical music, big fire,

drinking tea and wearing a sweater?

What does that mean?

Jesus' ministry is out here

in the streets, boy.

Out here, in the streets.

Yes, sir.

I was hoping you'd tell me

to turn down the promotion,

quit the police department.

You know,

Dr. King used to teach us

Sunday,

that was the locker room.

You don't leave it

in the locker room.

But Monday through Saturday,

there was the game.

That's where it all took place. Hey.

Tell me something.

Have you really decided to leave

the police department, honestly?

No, sir.

There's your answer, boy.

That'll be $6, Mac.

Do you remember

your brother, Blake?

No.

But he's there.

Everywhere.

And I can't get away from him

in that house.

- This is only one hour, right?

- You're my last session.

- I got all night.

- Oh.

Super.

I don't wanna talk anymore.

Okay.

How about I talk, then?

- I thought you just listened.

- Oh, I do.

Until I've heard enough,

and then I can talk plenty.

You're right.

You're not the problem here.

Tyler is.

But he's gone, and there's nothing

any of us can do about that.

Well, that's great, doc.

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