I was furiously typing away \u2013 hoping to complete another chapter of my book in the two hours I\u2019d managed to wrangle free. Suddenly, a warning popped up on my screen, \u201cCAUTION! You have a virus attacking your computer! Stop immediately and call Apple: 555-5555\u201d (the title of this blog should let you know why I\u2019m not sharing the actual<\/em> number\u2026)<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve heard of these scams. I wasn’t born yesterday or over fifty years ago (okay – a tiny white lie with that one…). But I did know\u00a0enough to be skeptical. I tried to exit out of the pop-up. No luck \u2013 it wouldn\u2019t close. I tried to close all my windows and the Apple wheel of death appeared refusing to budge. So I decided to just shut my computer down (my go-to solution for techy issues). But the computer had totally froze and when I hit the off key it started screaming at me – an unearthly, loud and high-pitched alarm. I frantically tried to stop it by pushing every key on the keypad. Nothing. Totally frozen keyboard and a shrieking computer that hurt my ears.<\/p>\n

It felt like satan himself was communicating to me from my computer. (Hmmm\u2026. Now there\u2019s a thought!)<\/em><\/p>\n

I asked my daughter to quickly access her own device and ask Google if this was a legitimate warning and if I should call the \u201cRescue\u201d number flashing across my screen. Google isn\u2019t so smart after all: the first thing to appear in her search was an affirmative – Yes, indeed, sometimes Apple will alert you to viruses that are attacking in real time<\/em>.
So I hurriedly called the number and talked to Rashid. (I know, I know. I know what you\u2019re thinking\u2026 the fact that Rashid could barely speak English should have, possibly, been my first clue\u2026.) But at first, Rashid was super sweet and helpful. He calmly walked me through the steps necessary to stop the screaming alarm. Then he explained a few more steps that would allow him to interface with my computer, which, he said, was necessary to diagnose the problem. I watched, helplessly, as he navigated the cursor on my screen and moved quickly in and out of windows and in and out of my settings. Then he confirmed my computer had, indeed, been attacked by a wicked virus. The very worst, he said. He pulled up graphs on my screen depicting the damage and just how much of my data had been infiltrated. He said to remove all the infectious material would take about 24 hours and all I had to do was pay $79 and he would fix the whole darn thing.<\/p>\n

What a doll, that Rachid.<\/p>\n

I may look<\/em> old and stupid, but I tell you what, once in a while, when the thing is wretchedly stinky, I\u2019m able to smell a rat.<\/p>\n

I hung up on Rachid as fast as you can say \u201cIndia\u201d and slammed my computer shut. I set it in the corner like a bad child and didn\u2019t open it again for 24 hours. The truly honest and genius boy-child at my local computer store fixed everything the next morning in mere minutes. He felt pity for such an old, helpless lady like me to be taken so badly by a hacker that he didn\u2019t even charge me for his services.<\/p>\n

Once I calmed down from the debacle, I realized I was actually thankful for everything I learned from Rachid:<\/p>\n

1. \u00a0We are not in control of squat<\/u><\/strong>. As I watched Rachid guiding my cursor all over the screen and clicking away to \u201cconvince\u201d me of my desperate need of his services, I felt incredibly helpless. I didn\u2019t know if I should trust him or not – all I knew is this: “I have no control anymore.” It reminded me of how often that is true in life. We want to believe we can control things – but when our child rebels and runs away from home, or our best friend betrays our trust, or we lose our job, or we get the “cancer” call, or we lay our parents down for their eternal rest, or we find out we have a stupid lung disease that’s robbing us of steady breathing and a long life – well, all those moments serve to remind us that we don’t control SQUAT. We are wasting our time and energy trying to control that which we were never meant to have reign over.<\/p>\n

2. \u00a0<\/strong>Satan is real<\/u><\/strong>. A while ago a well-meaning friend told me I look for satan under every bush. She was suggesting that perhaps I give the enemy of our souls more credence than I should. I don\u2019t know, maybe I do. Sometimes I think I just watched too many horror movies in junior high\u2026<\/p>\n

But what I know for sure is this: That old Liar roams to and fro looking for ways to steal our joy and wreck our faith in Christ \u2013 but the sooner we recognize his schemes the sooner we can put a stop to it! Don\u2019t be afraid to ascribe evil to he who authors it!<\/span><\/p>\n

3. \u00a0We never make good decisions when in the midst of a crisis<\/u><\/strong>. When we find ourselves in a crisis, we need to, if possible, BACK AWAY! Give the thing time to simmer down. We need to give ourselves some space to slow our breathing, gain composure, pray, and THEN process the crisis thoughtfully. Only then can we gingerly step forward into finding a solution.<\/p>\n

4. \u00a0Real, authentic, caring help truly does exist in this world. Go seek it.<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

5. \u00a0Never think too highly of yourself<\/u><\/strong>. I was devastated thinking that while Rachid had access to my computer for those 24 hours he was probably reading and stealing all of my information on my computer. My wise, gentle hubby had to (carefully) remind me that I\u2019m not THAT special. We don\u2019t work for the government, we\u2019re not made of millions, and we\u2019re not famous \u2013 so what could a hacker really \u201csteal\u201d from my computer that would matter? A blog on how we renovated a crack house??? The little circular I wrote on how to deal with menopause??? The poem I wrote for my dying dad??? Did I really think some hacker from India would steal my Christian memoir book and somehow get publishers to do what I have been unable to do and publish my book under his pseudonym??? Rachid becomes Rachelle and suddenly he is the next Anne Lamott??? <\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0I had to admit, Paul had a point\u2026<\/p>\n

6. \u00a0If you have nothing to hide, it doesn\u2019t matter who looks at your stuff<\/u><\/strong>. Without a single incriminating photo, without essays bashing high-profile people, without massive wealth, and without anything to share except the gospel of Jesus Christ, I should have had NO FEAR of someone stealing my content. In fact, I should have HOPED they would!<\/p>\n

My prayer for us today is to not fear the hacker \u2013 or anything or anyone set on destroying us. May we be a people unafraid or unashamed of someone looking at our computer content or our browsing history. May we recognize those who are bent on causing pain, hurt and chaos in our lives and STEP AWAY from them whenever possible. And may we not think so much of ourselves or our work that our computer carries more importance than it should.<\/p>\n

And may we never forget that when a TRUE crisis arises (and they will, brothers and sisters, they ALWAYS do\u2026.) help is only a shout away:
\u201cHear my cry, O God, listen to my prayer; from the end of the earth I call to you when my heart is faint. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I, for you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the enemy.\u201d Psalm 61:1-8
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