Why is it that insults cling to us so much tighter than than compliments do? Think about it. No matter how many compliments you receive, all it takes is one nasty remark to take a little bit of bounce out of your step.
Or a lot of it.
Why is it that it's hard to recall certain compliments but I could easily spout off a list of specific hurtful things that people have said to me? Why do we take insults so much more seriously than we do the kind things people say to us?
I am helping out at Vacation Bible School at my church this week and a certain remark a little girl said to me yesterday is what triggered this blog post. It was just one sentence, yet it made my heart hurt and got my brain thinking.
During the middle of a lesson about Noah's Ark this little girl turned to me and whispered,
"Someone on the bus told me I was ugly."
It is the middle of July. We were learning about Noah's Ark.
This was obviously something that has stuck in this precious child's mind since some unfortunate afternoon on the school bus. It came back to haunt her on a sunny summer morning at Bible school.
This particular little girl is absolutely beautiful. With golden blond hair and huge expressive eyes, she is clearly not ugly. Besides, I think children are too young to be 'ugly'. They still hold their innocence, seemingly untainted from the world and its cruelty. At least that is how children should be.
We all know that isn't always the case.
Anyway, this mean comment was probably made by some obnoxious bully who most likely doesn't recall the incident at all.
That is the worst part.
When we are insulted, we can't forget it. However, when WE are the ones being cruel, it is easier to block it out. Pretend it never happened. Pretend that we are still the victim.
That's just it. We live in a broken and fallen world full of vicious cycles. When we are hurt we find a way to hurt others in return.
It's only fair, right?
I know you have all heard the 'anti-bullying' talk time and time again. No one can say it isn't talked about enough in schools.
Then why is it that so many kids face hell every single day they step foot in their school? Why are middle schoolers commiting suicide? How is this happening right underneath our noses?
Why are little girls questioning their value at the young age of seven?
Why didn't I have the words to say to that sweet girl with the big eyes and a hurtful comment replaying over and over in her head?
I can't answer those questions. I can't make up answers that sound graceful and poetic and make you want to cry and hug someone. I can only offer you this.
Until we can truly start loving one another, none of this is going to go away. Until we fully grasp what Christ meant when He said, "Love your neighbor as yourself" we will continue to hurt one another. No required class in school about bullying is going to solve anything unless kids truly understand what love looks like. Most kids go home to a broken family of shattered relationships where their only view of 'love' is mom and dad screaming at each other every night. How are they supposed to know any better?
The answer is Jesus. Not religion, not fancy words. Not mushy blog posts written by such a flawed and unworthy individual such as myself. Just Jesus.
He is the definition of love. He doesn't view His children the way that we see each other. The way that we see ourselves. Can you imagine how it breaks His heart to see how we treat each other down here? He is the answer to all of this...He is proclaiming that every day. Why don't we listen?
My prayer for you is that you will join me in pursuing Christ in our actions. In the things that we say to each other. In the things that we think about each other. We are such mean and sinful people...helpless people.
We can't do this on our own.
Do you know what the comfort in this is though?
He doesn't expect us to.
Or a lot of it.
Why is it that it's hard to recall certain compliments but I could easily spout off a list of specific hurtful things that people have said to me? Why do we take insults so much more seriously than we do the kind things people say to us?
I am helping out at Vacation Bible School at my church this week and a certain remark a little girl said to me yesterday is what triggered this blog post. It was just one sentence, yet it made my heart hurt and got my brain thinking.
During the middle of a lesson about Noah's Ark this little girl turned to me and whispered,
"Someone on the bus told me I was ugly."
It is the middle of July. We were learning about Noah's Ark.
This was obviously something that has stuck in this precious child's mind since some unfortunate afternoon on the school bus. It came back to haunt her on a sunny summer morning at Bible school.
This particular little girl is absolutely beautiful. With golden blond hair and huge expressive eyes, she is clearly not ugly. Besides, I think children are too young to be 'ugly'. They still hold their innocence, seemingly untainted from the world and its cruelty. At least that is how children should be.
We all know that isn't always the case.
Anyway, this mean comment was probably made by some obnoxious bully who most likely doesn't recall the incident at all.
That is the worst part.
When we are insulted, we can't forget it. However, when WE are the ones being cruel, it is easier to block it out. Pretend it never happened. Pretend that we are still the victim.
That's just it. We live in a broken and fallen world full of vicious cycles. When we are hurt we find a way to hurt others in return.
It's only fair, right?
I know you have all heard the 'anti-bullying' talk time and time again. No one can say it isn't talked about enough in schools.
Then why is it that so many kids face hell every single day they step foot in their school? Why are middle schoolers commiting suicide? How is this happening right underneath our noses?
Why are little girls questioning their value at the young age of seven?
Why didn't I have the words to say to that sweet girl with the big eyes and a hurtful comment replaying over and over in her head?
I can't answer those questions. I can't make up answers that sound graceful and poetic and make you want to cry and hug someone. I can only offer you this.
Until we can truly start loving one another, none of this is going to go away. Until we fully grasp what Christ meant when He said, "Love your neighbor as yourself" we will continue to hurt one another. No required class in school about bullying is going to solve anything unless kids truly understand what love looks like. Most kids go home to a broken family of shattered relationships where their only view of 'love' is mom and dad screaming at each other every night. How are they supposed to know any better?
The answer is Jesus. Not religion, not fancy words. Not mushy blog posts written by such a flawed and unworthy individual such as myself. Just Jesus.
He is the definition of love. He doesn't view His children the way that we see each other. The way that we see ourselves. Can you imagine how it breaks His heart to see how we treat each other down here? He is the answer to all of this...He is proclaiming that every day. Why don't we listen?
My prayer for you is that you will join me in pursuing Christ in our actions. In the things that we say to each other. In the things that we think about each other. We are such mean and sinful people...helpless people.
We can't do this on our own.
Do you know what the comfort in this is though?
He doesn't expect us to.
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