Sometimes we will fall…

We all have been created with special skills that we are good at, and with practice we can often even improve on those skills. I have a skill that I am not proud of, and it is one that I unfortunately continue to practice and reinforce. I am very good at doing stupid things to injure myself.  I have caused myself injury doing the most mundane things. Once I injured my hands three or four times within a year, culminating with breaking four fingers at the same time. Luckily the injuries are usually fairly mild, but explaining the circumstances around the injuries can often be a humbling experience.

As we learn to walk, talk, and grow to maturity with Christ we sometimes will fall on our faces or experience injury. Just like a child who is learning to grow and experience life on their own, there will be times where we will successfully achieve a goal, and other times where we will lie in middle of the room with our face in the carpet wondering if we should cry. Children learn to look at their parent’s for feedback to see if they are okay. We too should be learning to look to our heavenly Father for feedback, security, confidence, encouragement, and hope.

I am going through a time right now where I feel like a teenager who has realized that their rebelliousness has gotten them into some trouble. If I had taken the time to learn from my Father’s wisdom I wouldn’t be in this place, but I didn’t trust him and instead felt certain I could handle things on my own. My reaction is to want to hide, ignore things, cover it up, and avoid any negative consequences. My Father has waited up though and is sitting on the front porch waiting for me to come home. He isn’t angry. Instead he wants to offer a hug, a shoulder, and an ear. He wants me to know the safety of coming home. He wants me to come inside and to rest peacefully. Doing that is my choice though. I can continue to wonder if I am okay or if I need to cry, or I can look my Father in the face, know that I am forgiven, and feel the tenderness and grace of his embrace. I think it is time to go home!

A legacy for our children

Even though I am not a parent, children and youth are something very dear to my heart. A few days ago I came across an article on CNN’s web site that has continued to weigh heavy on my heart and mind. The article titled Stolen kids turned into terrifying killers discusses the horrible situation around the world where children are being recruited, guided, and trained into lifestyles of crime, violence, slavery, and being physical and political shields. “There is no escape for what the United Nations and human rights groups estimate are 250,000 child soldiers today. These children, some as young as 8, become fighters, sex slaves, spies and even human shields. Sometimes their guns are taller than they are.” (Quoted from the article)

It is so easy for us in America to assume our kids are safe. Even with gangs, drugs, crime, and violence here in America most of our children and youth are predominantly safe. They don’t have to fear being kidnapped, tortured, brainwashed, or forced into lifestyles of sex or violence. My eyes have really been opened to human trafficking and international abuses toward children over the last couple years. The more I learn about these issues the more I become aware of how little I know. These children are facing lifestyles and issues I can not even fathom. They are not just making poor choices, but instead they are fighting to live.

As I hear about the plight of our young I am left to think about the legacy we are leaving our children. What future do these children who are becoming fighters, sex slaves, spies, and human shields have? Who will be there to provide for them, teach them, and give them love? It is easy to feel we have no responsibility to what is happening across the world, but we can make a difference. God asks us to make a difference. My challenge today is that I need to learn how to “live with worship being a way of life where we are stretching out our hands toward others every day”. It is easy to think about it and write about it, but how can I live it? How can I leave a different legacy for those I can impact?