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I don’t remember when I finally realized that the nursery rhyme was full of crap. Most of them are, now that I look back on them.
“Sticks and stones may break my bones,
But words will never hurt me.”
Not only do words hurt, but they have the capability to leave wounds that never heal.
It hit me full force tonight as Amy and I were talking about a kid we know who has heard some horrible things in his life.
“You’re not wanted.” “You’re a waste of time.” “You’re a nuisance.”
Amy asked what could be done.
The great crafter of words was speechless. In the next moment, an update on the murder of Darrent Williams was followed by images of a school in Tacoma, Washington - the latest school shooting.
I wonder when parents will begin connecting the dots. Those words have the potential to become bullets. Does a kid who knows they are loved and worthy have the bitterness and anger required to kill another human?
Too simplistic? Maybe.
What can be done?
My best answer is love the kids God places in my path. And pray for those who don’t. And I struggle with that being enough.
7 responses so far ↓
1 Big Tom // Jan 4, 2007 at 5:42 am
I was listening to a Swindoll message this morning from 12/18..When God’s gift comes specially wrapped. It is about how all children are a “gift” from God and never a “mistake”.
2 kris // Jan 4, 2007 at 7:06 am
good word there …. this is a chronic issue in our society and seems almost overwhelming. it’s bad enough that it happens with kids born ‘unexpectedly’ into families who are completely ill-equipped to raise them.
what it seems we’re seeing more and more however, are families that ‘plan’ for children and eagerly await them — until they become difficult to manage. kind of like when that puppy turns into an ill-behaved dog. once they aren’t so cute, their parent’s patience wears thin and they just want to give up on them. it seems like, we have more and more parents who SHOULD know better and yet treat the very kids they wanted, like an inconvenience. what does this say about the world we live in anyway…?
3 Kitty // Jan 4, 2007 at 10:38 am
Just this morning, I was talking to Rowland about how kids at school have been making fun of Carson because he has new glasses and because he has blackheads on his nose now. Team that with his own feeling of being stupid because he’s struggling with organizational skills. If we don’t love and affirm him, the world and Satan are certainly going to win! We can’t speak love into our children and those around us enough. And we have to be intentional. It doesn’t just happen!
4 Rowland // Jan 4, 2007 at 11:10 am
What this makes me think of are the “kids” that live inside of us. As adults, we pretend to have it all healed from our own adolescense, but the truth is, we’re still healing from our own wounds, our own failures and haunting words from those around us saying “You’re not good enough”. As a pastor, the thing I’ve learned the most is that people, especially adults, are in a constant redemption mode. Not only redeeming their sin through a Savior named Jesus, but redeeming their past. We’re all just “big kids” still on the journey that our kids are just starting. The answer IS loving them, but it won’t change a thing. Their journey will still be there, just like ours. The great thing about your job, Grant, is that you get to point to Jesus before we “adult pastors”. Hopefully they will listen…it will make the rough road ahead worth it.
5 Kitty // Jan 4, 2007 at 12:06 pm
If only my baby could be in your student group!
6 Mom // Jan 4, 2007 at 8:24 pm
Today I received a note from my daughter , Grant’s sister . She is 34 years old. It has been a very rough road. She wrote ” Mom, can we not talk about all “the stuff” and just love?” YES is the answer!
7 bp in ks // Jan 5, 2007 at 7:57 am
Loving these students is the answer, but sometimes we “adults” forget what that really means. It’s not all hugs and warm fuzzy feelings. Sometimes it is setting boundaries, saying the hard things, and being the bad guy. But it is mainly treating every person (regardless of age, gender, socio-economic status) as a person of value. That means work: investing time, really listening and looking beyond the ugly stuff that jumps out at us. It would be nice if we lived in a world where a child’s own parents could give that much, but unfortunately that’s not the case. That’s why we as student workers have such an important job- when Jesus said He was a father to the fatherless, I don’t think it meant just orphans. Some kids are parentless and they live in the same house with their parents. Pray that we can be Jesus to the parentless.
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