...If God loves them, why don't we...

Mr Smith was a smartly dressed successfull buisness man, he was married to a beautiful lady with long brunette curls and a wide and welcoming smile. They had two children, Jonny, aged 17 and Sarah, aged 11. They had been attending the church since moving to the area 6 years ago and were all well known and respected. Jonny was a very polite young man, always well dressed and very popular with the other young people in the church. A talented guitar player he had recently started leading worship at the church youth group. He enjoyed being with his friends at church and being surrounded by people who respected him. Out of church his enjoyment in being respected was also apparent, young boys and girls came from miles away on friday nights between 9 and 11 to stock up and spend some time high flying. One friday night a local kid accidently finds himslef walking though Jonnys hideout, Jonny, afraid of being dobbed approaches the kid to "have a chat". By the time Jonny leaves the kid is underfoot being trampoled by the crowd of followers, now re-stocked and ready to go and sell. The kid, Dave, wakes up in the morning, cut and battered, unaware of what had happened, just as Jonny had planned. On sunday morning, Jonny puts on his shirt and tie and grabs his guitar ready for the morning service. Dave having spent the night on the street after being locked out by his mum who is convinced he has "got himself in trouble" hoping to find some heat and comfort wanders into the church. Jonnys heart skips a beat as his eyes fall on a scruffy, dirty, bruised looking boy, but he keeps his cool, after all he is an expert in the art of deceit. As the curious eyes of the congregation scan the company each persons mind determines a story behind the state that Dave has "got himself into". "He must be one of those drunk kids, got himself into a fight, thinks he's so clever" comes the sounds of the not quite discrete assumptions. Another still with a different story, "I'm sure my boy told me about that sort, out selling drugs from as young as wee Sarah Smith's age", "What does he think he's doing in here" says another, "does the boy not own a clean shirt".

The story is harsh and cruel and unfair, but the thing that worries me is, we are all so used to expecting the worst that we don't let people create their own identity. Appearances can be deceiving and situations can be unfair. The way we treat Dave in the story should not differ to the way we treat Jonny. Dave shouldnt be judged for his appearance and situation and similarly Jonny shouldnt be judged for his. When God looks at them, he sees two broken hearts and his only response is to heal them. So why is it we can convince ourselves that some people are beyond hope yet declare that our God is all powerful and all loving. Don't allow yourself to put a label on anyone, no-one is beyond help. I think we have to take great care in not only giving up on others but giving up on ourselves, we cant assume that God cant help us just because we are short tempered or keep failing in school or cant manage to quit smoking. God will take you where you are at, you only need to be willing to let him.

Being back at the Ark volunteering and working to serve young people from all backgrounds God has challenged me in how I act. Challenged me to see them with his eyes and love them through the behaviour, language and abuse they may give. I am praying that God will put these young people on my heart and let me see them for real. I want to be a servant to them and serve willingly, I want to see it as an oppertunity to be humble and loving to them, whether or not they throw it back in my face. I am praying for the strength to do this because i know I can't do it without God.