Talk to the New Kid

I love being able to learn from my children. My 7-year-old daughter tells very detailed stories of her experiences (like mother like daughter!)  She was talking a mile a minute in the car ride home from school about "the new kid".

"He just moved here from South Carolina, or no, North Carolina, or no wait it will pop into my brain in a minute," she says.  She continues on to tell me that he had staples, not stitches, but staples in his head because he had fallen off the chair at his old school. And he didn't know that he was supposed to bring a snack to school. While the other kids were eating their snacks, she tells me he got tears in his eyes because he didn't have anything. The teacher gave him a Starburst, but then he got it stuck in his braces! Poor kid!

So I asked her, "why didn't you share your snack with him?"

Her reply was that she was nervous to talk to him. This surprised me a little, because she is a very compassionate child and I know felt badly for the new kid. And I said to her, "Really?! You were nervous! Why would you be nervous? After all HE is the new kid who has staples in his head, and Starburst in his braces, and doesn't know anybody, and forgot to bring a snack!"  Who do you think is more nervous him or you?"

She thought about it and said "You're right mom, I should have asked him to share my snack!"

Now this might appear to be me teaching my child a lesson. But in actuality, I learned as much from the discussion as she did. How many times do we see another person, possibly even a stranger in need of assistance? And how many times do we just keep to ourselves and not offer a helping hand...because we feel nervous?  How often do we clam up and not offer the talents, gifts, and wisdom we have that can help another person (or generations of people for that matter), because we are nervous about opening our mouths?

Having a servant heart means that we can enrich the lives of other people, and it starts with recognizing the needs of others and tuning out our own fears and inhibitions.

Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus. ~Philippians 2:3-5

Love and Prayers,
Sondra