Some people you just don’t forget. . .
And I’ve had a quite a few over my lifetime;
As I’m sure you have.
I’d love to be able to group all the people I’ve known together and see them! I wonder how many it would be?
My friend and I taught in the same school and got to know each other’s students as we did things together. I’ll tell you about one little chunk of a caramel colored, precious little boy with big brown eyes and gold rim glasses.
As he came down the elementary hallway he looked around and read each sign. Slowly, but correctly. We came to enjoy his uniqueness.
He went with his class to eat lunch in the cafeteria, but when someone started to sit by him, he cautioned loudly, “Don’t sit there! That’s my girlfriend sitting there!!!! Don’t you see her?”
Well, none of us did. However, all of us made sure we left room for her at our table after that.
One day he came, and had a sad, woebegone look on his round face. My friend asked what was wrong, and he proceeded to tell her.
“You won’t believe it! They took my cousin to prison.”
“What happened?” My friend asked.
“You know he lives with us. We play and have a good time. But he got in real trouble this time.”
“O, no!”
“Yes, he did. He was mean to his mama.”
My friend looked surprised.
He continued, “He was. He really was. So the police came and they took him away with the lights going and that loud noise, too.”
By now my friend was getting suspicious.
“What prison did they take him to,” she asked watching her student who stared at her earnestly.
“He went to kid prison.”
“Where is it though?”
“It’s invisible!”
“My gracious! Why did they put him in invisible prison since he’s just your age?”
“He’s invisible, too” he explained patiently.
It’s all in a day working with some groups of students and helping them learn coping skills, become literate, and live with others.
Everyone liked this little boy, and he did well in his schoolwork according to his level of ability. He thrived and made some real-life friends. You learn to love the positive, the possibilities, and the potential in spite of the differences.
How do you, your family, and your church meet the needs of the unique and precious as they come to your church and activities. With the love and patience of Christ’s love and grace?
“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” Psalm 139:13-14.
Let’s not be “invisible.”
