~ Day 4 ~
I remember her face. I even remember her name.
Katie.
I didn’t know anything about her, but I remember the way people treated her.
She appeared awkward and shy. It was mostly the boys, but there were a few girls, too. The ones who weren’t picking on her stood back and laughed.
I just watched. I mean, what else could I do?
I was only in 7th grade. It was a big school and we all know that junior high isn’t a confidence builder. It’s a tough age. Those middle years.
Most of us just watched.
We watched while they poked and picked and laughed. I knew Katie was in the slower classes, but I didn’t really know much about what that meant back in the early 1980’s.
I felt sorry for her. I wished they would just leave her alone.
I see now. Instead of leaving her alone… I wish someone would have not left her alone. I wish someone would have stood next to her.
I wish I would have been brave.
I wish I had stood next to her.
This story is for kids like Katie.
I pray my kids will learn to stand. Not watch.
Thank you, Joan, for sharing this beautiful story…
One summer day while doing some gardening in the front of my house, there were several children playing out in the street. A little red hair, freckle-faced boy came along and wanted to join them. Most of the kids started laughing at him and calling him names. He started to cry, and I was going to go over and say something to the other kids, when I noticed one of the boys who was playing picked up the ball. The red-headed boy sat on the curb and just cried. The boy with the ball said something to the other boys and then walked over to the red-headed boy and sat down. Since they were sitting on the curb right in front of my house, I could hear what they were saying. This is what I heard…
The young boy with the ball put his arm around him and told the red-headed boy not to cry. But, the red-headed boy said, “They called me ugly and won’t play with me.” The boy with the ball wiped the tears from the red-headed boy and said, “You’re not ugly. God doesn’t make anyone ugly.” Then he hugged the red-headed boy and said, “I will always be your friend and we can play ball together.”
I had tears in my eyes and went into my house and got each of them an ice pop. I lived there for a long time, and watched those two boys grow up to be best friends. Amazing. That happened over 30 years ago and those boys, now men, are still friends with families of their own.
May we learn to defend the weak.
May we learn to stand.
God doesn’t make anyone ugly.
Psalm 82:3
Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed.
(Day 1 is here)(Day 2 is here)(Day 3 is here)
