My family is enjoying our summer “staycation” at Grandma’s and Grandpa’s. Basically, that means we drove up north last week for the 4th and are staying until tomorrow. We have been taking “adventures” each morning with the kids. I hope to post more details and pictures on the family blog this weekend.
For now, I want to share something I experienced yesterday at Brannan Island. We pretty much had the place to ourselves but toward the end of our stay a mom and her kids showed up. Actually, I think one of the kids was not hers. Anyways, she had two boys in high school and 3-4 girls in elementary grades. I could tell that this single mom had experienced a pretty rough life. She just had that look. I didn’t think much of it. The youngest of the two boys was fishing off to the side and was ignoring her calls to come and eat. When he finally made his way over, she ignored him. Apparently, he ate pretty quickly and went back to fishing, leaving a mess of some sort. She walked over to the food and proceeded to verbally assault him. She let loose with a profanity-filled, demeaning rant. It was sad and uncomfortable. As I analyzed my thoughts, it was interesting to see the progression. That is what I wanted to share.
1) Sadness (Immediately)
I just felt bad for the boy. I remember being a young boy with not much consideration for others. In fact, I can still have little consideration for others, and I’m thirty years old! I think she was upset that he left a mess for someone else to clean up, in particular, her. She could have asked nicely. She didn’t have to call this awkward kid a *blank* this or *blank* that. What a poor example to her young girls. How did this boy feel? Was he used to it? Was it common place for her to blast the kids in front of complete strangers? Was he so numb to it that he could no longer cry?
2) Anger (A few moments later)
Who does this woman think she is! She has no business being a parent. And why is she cussing (loudly) with my family right here? Not to mention the cousins also playing with us. Someone should take these kids and give them a better home. I should tell her to knock it off!
3) Gospel (Much later)
If not for Christ, I would be the one yelling at my kid. Christ has done the work on the cross and continues to work in my heart. I am no better than this lady. Sure, my situation is vastly different than hers and that is why I think I am above such wretched displays of anger. But sadly, even as a redeemed child of God, I get brought to a boiling point in my heart and demonstrate it in more “Christian” ways. My wife has seen the worst of me. How proud am I? She needs Jesus. Her kids need Jesus.
As I wrestled with all of this, and it took me a while, several verses came to mind. I have included one passage below. It was just another good reminder of the power of the gospel. She (along with her kids) is walking according to the world she knows. Maybe she knows about Jesus, maybe she doesn’t. But God can make them alive in Christ. Right now, they are separated from God, but He can bring them near. I’m reminded to pray for them and many others like them. Also, convicted to approach people more and show Christ’s love when love is apparently lacking. I need wisdom to know how.
Sidenote: The boy finally caught a fish while we were walking away and his response was to proudly show his mom. She ignored him. My heart broke for him.
Ephesians 2:1-13 reminds me “And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called “Uncircumcision” by the so-called “Circumcision,” which is performed in the flesh by human hands–remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.”
