Angel in Disguise

Keep on loving each other as brothers. Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it. Hebrews 13:1-2

If people can entertain angels without knowing it, I am sure that there are many around me each day. Some I may not be able to see who give me protection and help me along my way. But, I know for sure I have seen at least one angel. He does not wear white robes and have a halo, but he is an angel none the less. He is tall and thin. His skin is black, and his head is shaved. He wears camouflage and high topped boots. My son calls him Sergeant Major. I call him an angel. When youngest son entered military school two years ago, one of the first people he encountered was Sergeant Major. As a freshman, he fell under Sergeant Major’s command. This former Army drill sergeant whipped my son and the other members of his class into shape. Before long, their hair was the right length, their uniforms crisp and polished and their posture straight and erect. They learned to salute, to say “Yes, sir,” to stand at attention, march, and raise the flag. While they did, they also came to respect themselves and others and to be leaders. My former rebellious, insolent, uncaring child, thrived under Sergeant Major’s attention. He began to climb through the ranks taking on leadership positions and volunteering to help with special projects. My husband and I grew curious about this man who was making such a difference. We first met Sergeant Major at back to school night. When we introduced ourselves, he called our son by his last name and nodded his head wisely. “Good boy. He’s going to be somebody someday,” he said. Our son? Was he talking about our son? Perhaps there was hope. A year under Sergeant Major’s influence, and we had to agree. His second year, our son had another instructor, equally as good, but Sergeant Major retained a special place in our hearts. Our son continued to advance. This year, to our delight, he is back working with Sergeant Major and leads a company of his own freshman. Now, he is the one to cajole and instruct. Our son gets up without being called each morning. He wants to be at school early. There are uniforms to inspect and plans to be made. When he walks through the halls, students of all grades call his name. They look up to him. Today, we went to school to see our son promoted and watch him work with his platoon. We might not have known to go, but Sergeant Major made our son call and invite us. It was a thrilling moment that I am glad I did not miss. Sergeant Major thanked us for coming. I told him, “We have you to thank. You are an answer to prayer.” I almost called him an angel, but thought better of it. He probably would not have understood. I bet if I looked closely, however, I could see an outline of wings underneath his camouflage.