Ever Again

John had been waiting all day for the school bus to arrive. The neighbor boys were coming back from kindergarten and this was a great day to go jump in a leaf pile, and laugh, and giggle, and do what five-year-old boys do after school in the Fall.

"Mom! The bus is here! Can I go out and play?"

"Sure, Honey. Have a great time."

Five minutes later, John returns through the garage into the kitchen sobbing uncontrollably. Mom kneels down and catches him in her arms. "John! What happened? What's wrong?"

Choking down the tears, John tried to explain that the boys sent him back home. "They don't want to play with me ever again!"

John has been the host a hundred times to those boys, without a thank you. And now, they treat him like this!!!!! John is entitled. He deserves their friendship. He has demonstrated kindness, is tenderhearted and has been a beautiful example of forgiveness. The love of Jesus shows through this little boy in touching ways that make my spirit weep with joy.

An exclusionary clique of five-year-old boys. How sad. How unbelievably sad. His friends have tasted the sickeningly sweet syrupy taste of evil, of revenge, of oppression, of hatred -- of the knowledge of good and evil. Perhaps the hearts of those boys are so void of His love that the snake slithers its way in and lives through them. I pity them. My God, what a fallen world we live in. I want to scream like Isaiah that these Moabites be trampled into the manure pile (25:10). Grrrr. It makes me angry. But then it brings tears to my eyes -- they're only five! The anger quickly matures into a heart-felt compassion. I begin to pray for them. I pray for their parents. I pray for John. I pray for Mom.

John! Jesus does not want us to be like that! He wants us to be kind and gentle and to love each other. He wants us to be like you, not them. The trouble is those boys are not listening to Jesus like you are. If they were, the neighborhood would be a much different place. A kinder place. A feasting giggling happy place.

Thankfully, John will make it through this because Mom's love fills his heart to overflowing -- there is no room, not even a crack, for the snake to squeeze in. And perhaps John will find other friends. And perhaps John will continue to give the Moabite boys the biggest Halloween candy, and Christmas gifts and birthday gifts -- continuing to show them love despite their hatred.

So, back in the kitchen Mom wraps her arms around John, wipes his tears, and hers, and hands him a potato peeler. Christ is by their side. John is Mom's kitchen helper and is in a safe place, a "Jesus" place. Tomorrow they will try it again. Perhaps, just perhaps, through our prayers "Ever again" will be forgotten.

And when His day comes, God promises to wipe the tears from every face. He'll remove every sign of disgrace from his people, wherever they are. And that day will only come when we all learn to love our neighbors as He loves us.

So says the Lord. Amen.