Sermon Illustrations
Teen Charged for Shove Off Bridge
A teen in Vancouver, WA is facing a criminal charge for pushing her friend off of a bridge and into the water.
Taylor Smith, 18, has been charged with reckless endangerment after cell-phone video footage was uploaded to YouTube showing her pushing her friend off of a bridge overlooking Moulton Falls, a popular summer swimming destination.
The friend, 16-year-old Jordan Holgerson, suffered a series of injuries in connection with the 60-foot drop, including several broken ribs and a punctured lung. Recovered footage shows a woman police believe is Smith, first pressuring and then finally pushing Holgerson off the bridge. The woman even says, "I'm going to push you."
According to the Clark County Attorney's office, there was probable cause to charge Smith with reckless endangerment, because her actions "created substantial risk of death and resulted in serious physical injury."
Potential Preaching Angles: Character; Integrity—Seemingly small actions can have huge consequences on people around us (although the damage may not be as immediate and obvious as this incident). But these "small" acts are not just impulsive. They also reveal our true character.