Fragile! Handle With Care!

We must always think before we speak. You never know what kind of challenges people are going through in their minds. For some it is a struggle to understand what the average person comprehends.

I am reminded of a situation where a young boy (Jared) came to church I once attended with his aunt Haley. She keeps him some times. Jared had just turned fourteen. I had the liberty to sit in the youth Sunday school class that day and it just happens to be that Aunt Haley was substituting. Aunt Haley was a bit mean at times especially to her nephew but I never thought she would be as mean as she was on this day.

As class began Aunt Haley asked the class who had given their life to Christ? Everyone raised their hands except Jared. This displeased Aunt Haley and she scorned him in front of his peers. Jared didn’t understand salvation as he stated. Well, Aunt Haley didn’t set a very good example for the class as she continued to call him out embarrassing him in front of the class. Jared never returned to that church with Aunt Haley.
I expressed to Ms Haley that she made a bad choice in how she dealt with her nephew, because now he doesn’t like going to church (especially with Aunt Haley). She didn’t care because she felt that because he was family, she could do whatever she felt.

Some of the other children in the class comforted him afterwards but he still decided not to return to that church. Ms Haley didn’t substitute again either.

I felt that Ms. Haley should have took the time to teach Jared what being a christian is all about, then allowed him to make an informed decision. What do you think? How do you think Ms Haley should have dealt with the situation?

We must be careful how we deal with others, especially our youth. We cannot embarrass them or make them feel inadequate because they don’t fit the mold that we feel they should. If we are going to teach our children we must do so in a manner of love, forgiveness, understand
ing, and patience.

It is our job to take care of, protect our children, and raise them in love and guidance.

Happy Child Guide -How To Get Any Child To Stop Misbehavior & Listen

> Luke 18:16 (NIV) “But Jesus called the children to him and said, "Let the little children come to me, and   do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.”
> Prov. 22:6 (NIV) “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.”
> Ephesians 6:4 (NLT) “. . . do not provoke your children to anger by the way you treat them. Rather, bring them up with the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord.”