The Fire Drill on Faith Street
A Sasspoint Village Story by Anita T. Kumeh
At exactly 7:00 p.m., the neighborhood siren wailed again—one of those routine safety tests that made people look up from their screens for half a second before scrolling back down.
But not Auntie Nella.
She stood on her porch in her flowing purple and peach Ankara kimono pantsuit, hands on her hips, looking like authority wrapped in fabric and wisdom.
Her niece, Lyra, in a bright red and yellow striped Ankara pantsuit, leaned against the porch railing, iced lemonade sweating in her hand.
“Mm-hmm,” Auntie Nella said, shaking her head slowly. “See, folks don’t pay attention until they smell smoke.”
Lyra laughed. “You mean people only get serious when things start falling apart?”
“Exactly,” said Auntie Nella. “They wait for the drama before they look for direction.”
They watched as a few neighbors peeked through curtains, and others ignored the siren completely. A little dog barked, then even that grew quiet.
“That’s life, Lyra,” Auntie Nella said softly. “Some people fan the flames, others fetch water. But the wise ones—they keep their hearts ready before anything starts burning.”
Lyra tilted her head. “So what do you do when you see someone standing too close to the fire?”
Auntie Nella smiled, eyes warm and knowing.
“You don’t join their panic, baby. But you don’t walk past them either. You pull them out if you can—don’t lose your peace trying to prove your point.”
The siren faded into the hum of evening cicadas. Auntie Nella poured another glass of lemonade and handed it to her niece.
“Mercy and boundaries,” she said, almost singing it. “That’s how you stay kind and unburnt.”
Mercy meets the flame,
Kindness steadies trembling hearts—
Love walks through the smoke.
Truth Revealed
Jude reminds us that staying grounded in faith isn’t about fear—it’s about focus. (Jude 17-23 ESV)
Show mercy without losing balance. Be kind without becoming careless. Some fires need to be put out; others need prayer. Wisdom is knowing which is which.
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