A heart for Jesus..on the playground

 The playground at school can be fun..but for those that get left out or picked on, it can be a dreadful! Just think..they only get like 15 minutes..but 15 minutes of torment can feel like an eternity. I am writing this post because of something that my tender-hearted child told me about. I am also hoping that it will make us all more aware of each other’s feelings. As adults, we may not have a “playground”, but we have social functions,work,  etc..

   Maybe you were that child that got picked on. or purposely left out..maybe you were the one that did the picking or leaving out. Or maybe, your child is in one of the two categories. Good news either way, this can be a turning point and you can change your ways right now. God is so merciful like that! He loves us anyway! No matter what..as long as we truly have a “heart” change..He will forgive us and guess what?? He is not like us..He actually  FORGETS!!!

   I am going to share with you a little of what my daughter shared with me..paraphrasing some of it and leaving out names..

   “I teared up today at recess Momma” said Alden.”What happened baby?” I asked. “You know the girl I have talked to you about before..the one that people don’t want to play with?” asked Alden. I remembered “her” and we had been praying for “her”. You see, Alden has shared with me that she feels bad for her. The little  girl doesn’t always have clean clothes..and she has a nervous stomach. To top it all off..there are “mean girls” and “mean boys” that don’t show much compassion. Now I know they are only children..but here is what I want to say..Get involved, talk to your kids, make sure that they are thoughtful and kind and caring. It is our responsibility as parents… We have to teach them to love one another..and we have to do it by modeling that kind of behavior ourselves.

   Okay, I am off my soap box now. Back to Alden’s story.. She said that at recess there was one group of girls with a leader that didn’t want the little girl to play the game. The leader said “We don’t want “her” to play..she …”Well, the leader didn’t know she had just met her match. My Alden has a boldness for Christ! We have taught our girls to stand up for others and to never make fun. You hope that when they are actually in that situation that they will do as you have taught them. Praise the Lord, my Alden did! I asked Alden ,”Well Alden did you stand up for “her” ?” Alden said “yes mam..I told the leader of that little group that my friends and I wanted “her” to play..and I asked “the leader” how she would feel if she was the one that was being left out?!” Alden then shared with me that she asked the girl that was being ugly if she knew about Jesus, and if she was saved..the girl told her yes but that she didn’t go to church. Alden then proceeded to tell her about our church and one of her friend’s church. LET ME TELL YOU..I just kissed her and told her how proud I was of her..and that I was so happy that she has a heart for Jesus! Wow..what boldness from a 10 year old!

  I explained to Alden that her actions could have changed the child’s outlook on life. I also encouraged her to continue to play with her and show God’s love to her. Alden said”Momma, I still feel so bad for her.” I explained to her that compassion and empathy were blessings,  even though it hurts so bad sometimes. She and I share those “gifts”. I know exactly how she is feeling..it is like we feel their pain..and want to do something to stop it now! It sometimes feels like a blessing and other times a curse. I also told Alden that she didn’t want her to feel bad for her..she  probably just wanted her to be kind.

   I am so thankful that Alden was bold and brave and filled with Jesus! If we could all just remember that we are capable of doing the same thing! Love one another…treat each other with the same kind of love and mercy that Jesus gives us. There are so many hurting children and adults..we all want the same thing and that is love and acceptance. Children are just children..learning from us and from each other. Let’s make sure we are modeling the kind of behavior that we would want them to have. Let’s be involved..teaching and forgiving..not condemning. Nobody is perfect, we have all made mistakes..but it is about what you learn fom them and not repeating those mistakes.

   Here are some verses that I want to share with you..I encourage you to get in HIS word..

John 15:12 ~ This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.

1John 4:20-21 ~ If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother who he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?  And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also.

Psalm 103:12 ~ As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions(sins) from us.

    Blessings to you all…

   UNTIL NEXT TIME! 🙂