By Jim Nichols

Every episode started in the same way. The scene was a police squad room in the Hill Street Precinct. Assembled were the officers who apparently were preparing to leave for their shift. The sergeant was at the front of the room speaking to them and bringing them up to date on the most recent criminal activity in the precinct. There had been a car stolen at this address, repeated “loud music” calls from another address, continued attention to sidewalk assaults along a certain street. 

When the sergeant had finished his update, invariably he ended with the statement, “Let’s be careful out there.” Critics have noted that became one of the best recognized catch phrases in television history. Following that comment, the theme music began, and a police car with red lights and siren was shown leaving a garage.

“Hill Street Blues” was an early police drama that broke several stereotypes. For lack of a better term, it was an “adult” version of previous law enforcement shows. These police officers lacked the shiny, positive, “always catch the bad guy” pattern. Now we saw police with families, some warts, some temptations, and bad judgments.

“Let’s be careful out there” is representative of parting words that each of us has heard (and dispensed) many times. It started when we were young and was as simple as “Watch out for cars as you cross the street.”

A common parting word from my parents was “Remember who you are.” It was a phrase repeated to my sisters and me nearly every time we left the house. Going to a party? “Remember who you are.” Going on a date? “Remember who you are.” Going to a ball game? “Remember who you are.”

Such phrases seem to be built into most parents. The phrases are cautionary but filled with love. The parents, themselves, have gone places when they were younger and had to face situations and decisions for which they were unprepared. They want you to go to the party, date, or game, but they also want you to be safe and reasonable as you have fun. Parents—you love them, and they drive you crazy.

Similar parental phrases include, “Be careful,” “Drive carefully,” “Remember what family you are from,” “I love you.” The fact that you and I can remember these admonitions suggests that our parents’ love phrases planted themselves in our psyche and took root. When we became adults and had responsibilities for those younger, you and I became dispensers of such phrases.

I heard a new phrase the other day and I like it. “Be particular.” This seems especially helpful because it is so open-ended. It does not apply just to children but to each of us. Here the speaker is saying that the recipient might face some new situations or decisions and that they need to be thoughtful as they move through the events. There is a type of “alertness” that one must develop. Again, this does not just apply to young people; it fits each of us.

Many new situations are positive and helpful and can teach valuable skills and lessons and build important friendships with others. A few of the situations are potentially negative. Be particular. It is important to learn to discern.

Much of the Bible is stories of choices people make. Jesus spends many words speaking of such things as the “wide” gate compared to the “narrow.” He cautions us to avoid false prophets.

Rather than instilling fear in us for new situations, he is instructing us how to approach each one. Be particular. For young people the examples might include: A potential new friend? Be particular. A potential new activity? Be particular. A potential new food or drink? Be particular.

For those of us not so young we might ask ourselves: Is this a loving response? A graceful response? A self-protective response? A necessary or unnecessary response? Is God’s love manifested by this comment? 

Far too many of us just move through life with an unthoughtful approach. We just go places. We just buy stuff. We just say things. We just vote for people.

May God help us to be particular.

Jim Nichols is a retired Abilene Christian University biology professor and current hospice chaplain