If any of the above language offends you, just try finding it on your door, directed at you, written in the hand of a student who you have invited into your home, taken to a local bike co-op, played soccer with, and generally treated with as much care as if he were your own.
These are the things a teenager in our neighborhood has been writing on our door about us in sharpie, on and off, since we asked him to apologize for calling a younger kid a prostitute.
Each time these things have appeared on our door, we've cleaned them off, wrestled with our anger, forgiven, and reached out to the guy.
I realize that it seems petty, but this is what we have given our lives to, and it's been rejected by one we care about.
Then, tonight, when we think all this stupid rage has died down, we find the following:
I've been guilty of writing complex, inconclusive stories on this blog, but here's this one, straightforward and simple: Every time this kid writes on our door, I feel hurt, hated, and enraged. And I want to forgive, and I want to be like Jesus, but it gets harder every time.
I can't imagine, bro. Yet, I also see that he is totally obsessed with you guys. He is hitting, lashing out, trying to be funny and outlandish to his friends; and it is all directed at the ones who won't stop loving him. I think it says a lot. My prayer is that it will also have a happy ending. That the Lord will bring him through the hate. That he will broken by his actions, and see God's grace. The grace given to him and demonstrated through your life for him. I think that's how some disciples are made. This may be a fantasy on my part, but it helps me with the whole "pray for those who spitefully use you" command.
ReplyDeleteI know you know all of this. But also know that I'm praying too.