Opportunities in Odd Places
“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the cheek, turn to him and offer the other also.” Matthew 5:38-39
I don’t have a big career. Nothing I have ever done to earn a paycheck has any real significance. What I have done, what colors everything I do, is be a mother. The other day I met a young man I’ll call Liam, who will be a part of my life for a short, predetermined period of time. Liam is very self-aware. He is blunt and brash. He swaggers and postures to deliver the message, I’m trouble and if you get close I’ll hurt you. Whatever! My mother’s eye sees a troubled kid who needed someone to tell him, at a much earlier time in his life, that he is the dearest thing in the world to them. Since that did not occur he expects the people in his life to jump through hoops to gain his respect and compliance. They don’t and he reacts by acting out in ways that include mocking everyone around him, targeting weaker, smaller individuals, using trashy language and basically acting like a fool. I love that kid. I’m not at all sure that I like him, although he has likeable moments but I do love him.
Just yesterday he told me that he is difficult to get along with. Oh really? My response was, “Not for me.” Which garnered a quizzical look and I fear a determination to prove his point to me. After the fact I wished I had said, “Aren’t we all?” Because truly, aren’t we? I know I can be difficult but the truth is there are degrees of difficulty. This kid takes his to the, how bad can I be before you give up on me, level. He does that because being incredibly self-aware, he knows it is his behavior that turns people away. I think it’s a which came first the chicken or the egg thing.
In Liam I see many things. I see how I behave toward God. Do you still love me? Even now? Even now? Even now? I see an opportunity to better myself by dropping the chips on my shoulders. Most importantly I see an opportunity to model the love of Christ to a child who has most likely never met him.
This is a child who personifies “go with him two,”(Mt.5:41) “how many times should I forgive my brother”( Mt.18:21-22) and “turn the other cheek” (Mt.5:39) for me. Over our short association I expect that Liam will push my buttons, cuss in my face, show me disrespect and break my heart by mocking other children who I love. I expect to be able to go two miles, forgive repeatedly and turn as many cheeks as necessary, because God put Liam in my path for a reason. I expect to be able to show him the love of Christ because I fear that this boy has known little of real love in all of his short life.
He can be difficult, that much is true. He is determined to screw up everything good in his life. And yet, inside those mocking tones and derisive eyes, is a kid with a great heart. This isn’t a sociopath. This is kid afraid of anything and everything he doesn’t understand. I get that. Do you?
I think we learn the most and grow closest to our Father when we love the supposedly unlovable. When we say yes, Lord, I will treat this one the way you treat me I believe He rewards us with grace that draws us closer to Him.
I expect that Liam will do everything in his power to embarrass me and make me uncomfortable. Good luck kid, I have a power on my side you know nothing about….. yet.
I don’t have a big career. Nothing I have ever done to earn a paycheck has any real significance. What I have done, what colors everything I do, is be a mother. The other day I met a young man I’ll call Liam, who will be a part of my life for a short, predetermined period of time. Liam is very self-aware. He is blunt and brash. He swaggers and postures to deliver the message, I’m trouble and if you get close I’ll hurt you. Whatever! My mother’s eye sees a troubled kid who needed someone to tell him, at a much earlier time in his life, that he is the dearest thing in the world to them. Since that did not occur he expects the people in his life to jump through hoops to gain his respect and compliance. They don’t and he reacts by acting out in ways that include mocking everyone around him, targeting weaker, smaller individuals, using trashy language and basically acting like a fool. I love that kid. I’m not at all sure that I like him, although he has likeable moments but I do love him.
Just yesterday he told me that he is difficult to get along with. Oh really? My response was, “Not for me.” Which garnered a quizzical look and I fear a determination to prove his point to me. After the fact I wished I had said, “Aren’t we all?” Because truly, aren’t we? I know I can be difficult but the truth is there are degrees of difficulty. This kid takes his to the, how bad can I be before you give up on me, level. He does that because being incredibly self-aware, he knows it is his behavior that turns people away. I think it’s a which came first the chicken or the egg thing.
In Liam I see many things. I see how I behave toward God. Do you still love me? Even now? Even now? Even now? I see an opportunity to better myself by dropping the chips on my shoulders. Most importantly I see an opportunity to model the love of Christ to a child who has most likely never met him.
This is a child who personifies “go with him two,”(Mt.5:41) “how many times should I forgive my brother”( Mt.18:21-22) and “turn the other cheek” (Mt.5:39) for me. Over our short association I expect that Liam will push my buttons, cuss in my face, show me disrespect and break my heart by mocking other children who I love. I expect to be able to go two miles, forgive repeatedly and turn as many cheeks as necessary, because God put Liam in my path for a reason. I expect to be able to show him the love of Christ because I fear that this boy has known little of real love in all of his short life.
He can be difficult, that much is true. He is determined to screw up everything good in his life. And yet, inside those mocking tones and derisive eyes, is a kid with a great heart. This isn’t a sociopath. This is kid afraid of anything and everything he doesn’t understand. I get that. Do you?
I think we learn the most and grow closest to our Father when we love the supposedly unlovable. When we say yes, Lord, I will treat this one the way you treat me I believe He rewards us with grace that draws us closer to Him.
I expect that Liam will do everything in his power to embarrass me and make me uncomfortable. Good luck kid, I have a power on my side you know nothing about….. yet.
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