Touched by an Angel

Episode 609: “With God As My Witness”

Episode 609:  “With God As My Witness”
Original Air Date: January 9, 2000
Written by: R.J. Colleary
Directed by: Stuart Margolin
Produced by:

Martha Williamson
Jon Andersen
R.J. Visciglia, Jr.

Guest Cast:

 

Jim Sullivan David Andrews
Shawn Kim Greist
Katie Marnette Patterson
Alyssa Emily Osment
Stuart Deane Stuart Margolin
Carl William Ostrander
Marco Julio Oscar Mechoso
Scott Jason Azikiwe

 

In Tess and Monica are on hand to witness their next assignment, Jim Sullivan, get fired from his job as a construction foreman. Trying to warn the project managers of potential safety hazards, Jim instead incurs their wrath. Tess reminds Monica that humans value themselves for what they do, rather than for who they are. In light of this, the angels must keep Jim from making any desperate decisions. Unable to find more construction work, Jim takes a low-paying job as a limousine driver and worries that he will be unable to financially support his wife and two daughters. As the bills pile up, Jim does make a desperate decision. Taking his co-worker’s advice, Jim decides to drive a questionable but generously-tipping client around for the evening.

Monica, the limo dispatcher, warns against it, but the promise of quick cash is too tempting to refuse. Stuart Deane, Jim’s passenger, is secretive about his business and appointments. Jim learns too much when Deane leaves their last stop firing a gun. Deane tips Jim handsomely, threatens his family if he goes to the police, and leaves. Jim remains silent about the incident until Monica arrives with another undercover federal officer and questions him about Deane’s involvement in the previous night’s murder. Jim refuses to talk to the agents, but when two of Deane’s men threaten his family, he agrees to testify against Deane and enter the Witness Protection Program. Jim’s wife, Shawn, is upset, but believing Jim to be without fault, is supportive of his decision. Tess, another federal agent, outlines their new living adjustments — they will be moved to another state, be given new names and records, and will never return to their former lives. Most painfully, they will have to say a final goodbye to Shawn’s father, Charles, who lives in the local nursing home. Andrew, an orderly there, agrees to take good care of Charles.

At the Sullivan’s temporary home at a hotel, Monica and the other agents remain on a 24 hour protective watch. Shawn is upset when Jim admits that he previously knew of Deane’s reputation and thus destroyed the family’s identity and safety for some extra cash. Later, Tess reminds a much calmer Shawn about her marriage vows and the importance of forgiveness. Despondent, Jim believes he has lost his family. Monica then reveals herself as an angel and tells Jim that God will be a good shepherd as promised, faithfully leading Jim and his family through the valleys ahead. Monica shows Jim two newspaper stories: the first about Stuart Deane, the second, about the lives saved at the construction site as a result of Jim’s safety recommendations.

Now inspired, Jim visits Stuart Deane in prison who again threatens him if he testifies. Jim tells Deane that even though his family will go into hiding, they will always have their identities as God’s children. Jim gives Deane a bible and suggests he read it, beginning with Psalm 23. As the reconciled family prepares for their new life, they are ecstatic to learn that Tess has arranged a new identity for Carl, who will enter the program to be with them as well.

 

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