We’ve always
prided ourselves as a nation that seem to care about children. We focused on
kids when it came time to really get some changes made in the health and safety
realm: lead paint; lead and other chemicals in the water; unsafe schools with
asbestos and more lead paint; auto safety seats for children; increased
security in hospitals for infants and children; and a desire to give the
children the best education possible, all of which were goals that we had for our
children and the children of the future.
It's become
almost impossible to read a news feed or a newspaper or even pick up a magazine
that does not have a story somewhere about children, whether children in
trouble from poverty or lack of basic healthcare, children who are exposed to
toxic chemicals and waste, and whose health has been seriously affected because
of it. We also get stories of children living in abject poverty, many them
homeless, and probably as many who are under housed in shacks without running
water or heat other than a fireplace or a wood stove. On the other hand, we're
hearing more and more from our kids, kids who have been exposed to a form of
terror most of us can't say we ever experienced and can only imperfectly
understand.
I remember atomic
bomb drills in high school where a signal would come on and everyone would rush
into the hall to find an empty locker, then kneel on the floor with our heads
in them as a form of protection. I’m not sure how much good that would've done
on in the long run, had we actually had an atomic bomb attack, but it was felt
to be the best that could be offered at the time.
Flash
forward to today. We have had almost two dozen shootings, many of them in and around
schools, where children and teens have been killed, injured, or traumatized in
such a way that some of them may not be able to recover from this. We tut-tut,
send our prayers and thoughts, but then we demand that somebody do something.
And here come the kids, the survivors and those who fear for their own safety
unless something happens, and soon.
Survivors
of the latest school shooting in Florida have stood up and said enough is
enough. They have planned marches and spoken publicly about their experiences
and what they see as necessary to be done to protect their safety in the
future. Some of them have gotten some horrid comments and bullying messages
about their stance, but they haven't stopped their protest. Now teens across
the country are joining that movement, walking out of school and marching to
make visible their protest to the fact that their schools aren't safe because
their streets aren't safe, and their streets aren't safe because guns are easy
to access, and anger is rampant.
Jesus said
to “Suffer the little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for such is
the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 19:14). What would Jesus say about the plights of
our kids – those who are innocent and those who are depressed, angry, and see
no other alternative to violence?
The whole
argument about how to make our kids safe hit me last Sunday when I was in
Walmart picking up cat food, a fairly routine trip for this household anyway.
In front of me in the checkout line was a man and a little boy who was busy
helping his dad clean out the grocery cart, standing in the cart and very
quickly and precisely handing his father each item without dropping it, spilling
it, or missing his father's hands. He had gorgeous big brown eyes, a cherubic
face, and a cute little boy haircut. He was well dressed although not Brooks
Brothers, but I noticed that he had a plain shirt on and so did his dad. I
asked about his age and his father said the boy was about 2 1/2. I looked at
the child and I said, “You're a very helpful little boy. You are really good at
helping your daddy.” His comment was, “Thank you ma'am." Ma'am? I haven't
been called that in a very long time, but this came out of this little boy,
without prompting from his father at all. I was gob smacked. A child being
raised with manners. It was so refreshing after what we've heard about teens
going wild and doing drugs and disrespecting anyone and everyone, and even
small children gaining access to guns and shooting themselves, a sibling, or a
friend.
When they
got ready to leave, I complemented the father and the mother on their raising
of the child, and how verbal he was at such a young age. They smiled, thanked
me, and as the father began to push the cart away, the little boy turned to
look at me and he said, “Have a nice day, ma’am.”. It suddenly made me think
that maybe there is hope for this generation and the generation to come if at
least one child can be taught respect for others and have a healthy self-image
to boot.
I can see
that little boy as one of those children on Jesus's lap. He was representative of all children. He was
innocent, clever, and very well spoken for a child his age, pronouncing his
words clearly, correctly, and appropriately. His parents certainly cared enough
about him to work hard with him to make sure that he was equipped to go out into
a world where he might be a little bit different than other kids, but he was
also being prepared for adulthood, quite a way down the road of life. I hope I
run into him again sometime. He gave me a renewed faith in my fellow human
beings, at least for a little while.
Jesus was
about love, yet today it seems to be that one for one person's definition of
Jesus is the antithesis of someone else's. Somehow, I think we need to find
ways of showing the love of and for Jesus that we have received. It may be our
best (and maybe only) chance to reach lost and hurting kids (and adults as well)
and begin to rebuild that kingdom of God on earth that we all dream of.
Bless that
little boy. I don't know his name or really anything about him, but it seemed
that Jesus seemed to shine from him. There was a sense of peace, innocence,
joy, and hope about him. I wish I could shield that little child from what he's
going to learn as he grows older of people's inhumanity to others and how
hatred fuels the fires that produce violence. But then, maybe he’s the hope of
tomorrow, one of the teens who aren’t afraid to speak up and speak out. Maybe those who protest now will be an inspiration for him and kids like him.
And a
little child shall lead them…
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