Words ... Words hurt, words heal ... words tear us apart and pull us together ...
What are your words doing?
Actions ... Actions hurt, actions heal ... actions tear us apart and pull us together...
What are your actions doing?
"Give me my ball back!" My seven year old raised his voice so the laughing teenagers could hear him.
"Haha ... want your ball back?" They tossed it over his head, back and forth. Tormenting him the whole time, mocking him and gaining laughs from my son's frustrations.
My son reached, jumped and ran between the two teenagers as they tossed his ball back and forth.
Eventually, the ball was retrieved, retrieved by an older child ... but my son's feelings were left ... hurt. Hurt by someone's words and actions.
This situation took place at church yesterday morning. I wasn't in the hallway when it happened. So, I have to be fair and say that my son might have colored this picture in his favor. The ball was a prize won for bringing his bible to church, saying verses and memorization. He'd worked hard for it and wanted to share it with his brothers.
When he told me the story late yesterday afternoon, I was mad. Mad that someone would do this .... in church. Shouldn't church be a safe place? A place where we and our families feel love and acceptance?
I was still thinking about it this morning. While reading my devotions, I realized something... This shouldn't happen in a Christian heart. This shouldn't happen at all. As Christians, we should have love and acceptance in our hearts ... always... not just Sunday morning.
That brought back a lesson my parents taught me growing up and somehow I lost it on my way to being a grown up ... Don't just be a Sunday Morning Christian. Ouch! Am I a Sunday Morning Christian? Do I put on my Sunday Morning mask and then take it off for the rest of the week?
While yesterday's experience was small and my son is now past his hurt feelings, I'm left with a lot to think about. I could stay mad at the other children involved. Or, I could be thankful they reminded me of something I somehow forgot ...
I think I'm going to pick ... thankful. Those other children, I don't even know who they were. I don't even know if my son's version of the story is completely factual. All I do know is ... my attitude, my behavior ... should reflect God everyday, everywhere and with everyone ... not just Sunday Morning.
Proverbs 3:3 " 3 Let love and faithfulness never leave you;
bind them around your neck,
write them on the tablet of your heart.
What are your words doing?
Actions ... Actions hurt, actions heal ... actions tear us apart and pull us together...
What are your actions doing?
"Give me my ball back!" My seven year old raised his voice so the laughing teenagers could hear him.
"Haha ... want your ball back?" They tossed it over his head, back and forth. Tormenting him the whole time, mocking him and gaining laughs from my son's frustrations.
My son reached, jumped and ran between the two teenagers as they tossed his ball back and forth.
Eventually, the ball was retrieved, retrieved by an older child ... but my son's feelings were left ... hurt. Hurt by someone's words and actions.
This situation took place at church yesterday morning. I wasn't in the hallway when it happened. So, I have to be fair and say that my son might have colored this picture in his favor. The ball was a prize won for bringing his bible to church, saying verses and memorization. He'd worked hard for it and wanted to share it with his brothers.
When he told me the story late yesterday afternoon, I was mad. Mad that someone would do this .... in church. Shouldn't church be a safe place? A place where we and our families feel love and acceptance?
I was still thinking about it this morning. While reading my devotions, I realized something... This shouldn't happen in a Christian heart. This shouldn't happen at all. As Christians, we should have love and acceptance in our hearts ... always... not just Sunday morning.
That brought back a lesson my parents taught me growing up and somehow I lost it on my way to being a grown up ... Don't just be a Sunday Morning Christian. Ouch! Am I a Sunday Morning Christian? Do I put on my Sunday Morning mask and then take it off for the rest of the week?
While yesterday's experience was small and my son is now past his hurt feelings, I'm left with a lot to think about. I could stay mad at the other children involved. Or, I could be thankful they reminded me of something I somehow forgot ...
I think I'm going to pick ... thankful. Those other children, I don't even know who they were. I don't even know if my son's version of the story is completely factual. All I do know is ... my attitude, my behavior ... should reflect God everyday, everywhere and with everyone ... not just Sunday Morning.
Proverbs 3:3 " 3 Let love and faithfulness never leave you;
bind them around your neck,
write them on the tablet of your heart.
AMEN!
ReplyDeleteThe other kids may NOT be Christians or maybe they are and their hearts were full of sin on Sunday morning. Unfortunately, we are sinners and do things we shouldn't. Thank GOD for HIS mercy and grace. It would be interesting to present this story to those kids with your analogy and see what they thought...see if it provoked repentance....
I, too am sorry this happened to your precious little guy.
Blessings and prayers, andrea
I always tell my son, being a "Christian" doesn't mean anything. It means truly following or obeying what God wants.
ReplyDeleteYour story reminded me when my family attended the first home fellowship. It was sad to observe that we were not warmly welcomed. My son who was young then, like 8 or 9, was left alone by other kids when they were in a group and being tended by one of the women so the couples could have their own time together. During our prayer, I had never forgotten someone's prayer: "Lord, thank You for bringing great people into our church..." I felt so sad when I heard those words though I was only a baby in faith at that time, I knew something was not right.
My hubby, my son and I had not gone back since...I pray that the Lord will turn this unfortunate event into something good for your son. God bless.
Thank you both for sharing with me. RCubes, I am so sorry you felt that experience and that your son felt it.
ReplyDeleteaine, i just want to say "THANK YOU" for sharing that story about donovan. it really means alot to me to know how much kregg touched so many people in his life. the memories i hold dear to my heart. it is amazing to me and at the same time it gives me comfort to know that so many lives were touched by "one". thank you for the kind words about me and my girls. love,jen
ReplyDeleteJen, I'm so sorry I missed your comment. I got so busy with Christmas that I didn't check my comments as often. It is amazing how one life can touch so many and it helps me remember to do things in my life that will touch others ... to use my life to bring joy, change and love to others. That's what I learned from Kregg, you and the girls. I love you, Aine
ReplyDelete