Was I wrong to exposse my children ot Jenifer?
When Jennifer's family moved into the neighborhood an alert was sounded to all the other families. The family had a bad reputation in town. In an attempt to find her place among the children of the neighborhood, Jennifer shared with them all the bad words she knew. She knew a lot of them. All the mothers felt that their fears had been confirmed.
The edict was given by all the good mothers of the neighborhood that Jennifer was not allowed to play with their children. They further sought to protect their children by saying that no child that played with Jennifer would be allowed to play with their children. They wanted to protect their children's innocents. I understood their concern but I was conflicted.
I brought Jennifer into my living room and sat beside her. "Jennifer, what do you think Jesus would say to you if he was here in the room with us?" Without hesitation she responded, "He would tell me to go away and leave everyone alone." She spoke with conviction about her unworthiness to be around the "good" children. I knew then that I my response to this child was to show her the love of God.
I monitored the conversations she had with my children, I took her with us when we went to church and other programs for children. She began to eat daily at my table; she ate as if she were starving.The Department of Children's Services came to my home one day asking about Jennifer. When I told them about her ravenous appetite they told me she probably was starving.
For her birthday that year I gave her a children's Bible that had questions to answer at the end of each chapter. She brought it to me two weeks later with a big smile on her face. She had read it all the way through. She showed me how she had answered all the questions. She said she read it every chance she got. Then one day her family moved away.
During the last two months of Vincent Van Gogh's life he painted The Church at Auvers. The problem with the church is that it appears to have no door. When I opened my door to Jenifer I also tried to show her that she was not shut out from the love of God. I wanted her to know the church had a door and it was opened for her.
Lord Jesus, show me how to represent you correctly to a hurting world.
Thank you, especially for this one, Sarah. I forwarded it to Emily. She is struggling a bit with the same issue these days, and we had a discussion just yesterday about it, so I wanted to share your perspective on it -- which, I think, is God's perspective! - S. Mills
ReplyDeleteI don't know who you are, but WOW and thank you. I'm working on a sermon dealing with Van Gogh's picture and will, I hope you don't mind, use your story to illustrate a powerful truth! The church doesn't need a door; it's founder is a door!
ReplyDeleteDear Sarah - how often your door has been open to those who are hurting. And then they have found open arms, arms of welcome, and have been led to the arms of the One who invites them into eternal life, of knowing a Father who calls them beloved. So thankful that Jennifer found the door opened. Those who have been the isolated, the unwelcome, the ostracized, they see Christ in the face of the one who opens the door to them.
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