As I sat and listened to the answers of what made these students afraid I was so sad. Once again to hear children tell their deepest fears are friends being shot, that they will contract AIDS or won’t grow into something more than a child of the “ghetto” just hurts.
Just a couple of days ago I had a conversation with a third grader who so rarely sees her father that when she does it is an occasion that warrants celebration of “Disney World” proportions. She just could not understand why my own children did not rejoice more after having been away from their Dad for a couple of days. Why weren’t we throwing a party or at least going out to eat? She could not comprehend that their father is such a normal every day part of their life that just getting to be with him again and have him home was enough.
Then there was the child who left her classroom screaming last week because someone had asked her where her Mom was. They didn’t know Mom is so sick no one knows if she will die. I found out that Shamora (the little girl who lived with us) and her Mom are homeless again. They are with a friend until the end of the week, but then will have to move into a shelter. All the shelters in the area that keep families together are full.
I see daily children who make fun of each other because they “stink” This is only to hide the truth of their own hurts. There are children among us who have no running water. They sleep on the floor or have never had a bed of their own. They live off of snacks that cost them less than a quarter. If they can point their fingers at each other though they won’t have to deal with the pain inside.
The darkness can be crushing some days. However, I believe that the truth that ties each situation is not a fear of failure, but of success. As Marianne Williamson wrote in a qoote made famous by Neslon Mandela and the movie “Coach Carter:”
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn’t serve the world. There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We are born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us, it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”
Or as the Bible more eloquently states:
“I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ and to know this love that surpasses knowledge–that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” Ephesians 3:16-20
What would this generation be if they grasped the true power that is with in them? Playing small doesn’t serve the world any purpose. But it is not in their own power that they can rise up. Having to take pictures of each child yesterday for our records the older they were the harder it was to get them to smile. They had to look “cool.” Which really means tough. But, as you speak life and tell them how beautiful they really are sometimes we can get the world to melt away. I love to watch the smooth skin wrinkle into those familiar laugh lines.
There is no inspiring speech out there that will make them shine. There is no amount of power within their own strength that can change anything. Yet, what if they allowed Christ in to really manifest HIS glory in their lives. Then is would be more they can think or imagine. My spirit soars at the mere thought of How Christ within each of them, us would transform a dieing world.
One day I pray they are ready for something so grand. For it is really meant for us all. This love of Christ will transform them. Then they will have a light to shine. They have no clue that they are the one’s to storm the darkness with pure light.. Through our Savior we have been given the right to be called children of God. Does any of us have any clue what that really means?
