By Rosie Preston
Sometimes you will meet a random stranger who shares a few words with you. Amazingly, the two of you will form a bond, and you have a new friend, a friend who does not reject but accepts you just the way you are.
A lady recently shared her life story of rejection, which began when she was an infant taken away from her mother and placed with foster parents. She accepted the lifestyle as being normal, as she had never felt loved. This lifestyle was mostly negative. This lady never felt true love until she learned that there is a God who loves her unconditionally. She does not look upon the rejection as intentional anymore. She realizes there could be many reasons why her mother may not have been able to care for her – she may have been very young and immature, or she may have been abused or addicted to alcohol or drugs. Or perhaps her mother may have loved her but chose to let her go, believing that she was making the right choice.
Whatever the reason, what parent is born with a manual? What parent would intentionally hurt his or her child? The question is not as important as the answer, which is to let go and to quit living in the bonds of guilt. No longer does it hurt this lady that her mother was not perfect, nor were her teachers and schoolmates who shunned her poverty, nor the foster parents hardened to the kindness the she needed as a child. Today, this lady stands tall, claiming scriptural promises for eternal life where rejection does not exist!
As this lady mingles with the young children in her Sunday School class, touching and hugging them, she says a silent prayer about a journey. She prays for each child to find God’s love and hopes that they will remember her as the teacher who gave the best hugs!
Without faith, it is impossible to please and be satisfactory to God. For to come near to God, I must believe that God exists, and “He is the rewarder of those who earnestly and diligently seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6). “As we have offered much for Christ and have shared in his pain, we also share His great comfort.” (Corinthians 1:5)
This week’s article talks about hugging, and with the COVID-19 virus spreading so quickly, it is impossible to hug the children. Many teachers have a way of letting a child feel cared for and comfortable, and that child feels trust for those teachers. Let us find a way to bring communication, love and empathy to each child. Start today and brainstorm all the ideas you can about sharing love with a child. It may be a small act of kindness and understanding that will touch a child’s heart, and that child will always remember you.
I know that even though we are experiencing a pandemic, many times a child may be experiencing rejection. You could be that person who brings Christ’s love into their heart!
Keep Smiling, Rosie
The journaling book is in progress, so send your stories to rosie.preston@yahoo.com.