Matthew 18 1 - 4
Then Jesus called a little child to Him,
and set him in the midst of them, and said,
"Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted
and become as little children,
you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.
"Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child
is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
"Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me.
NKJV
How do you get the message across Gemma considered watching a young woman decked out like a christmas tree with an expensive push chair filled with hanging toys and a ribbon clad toddler pushing past the elderly woman dangling on the edge of the kerb.
This world is all about self. Some will brush a few crumbs to the needy, but as Gemma's father once announced "it's easy to be generous when you have, but the greater reward will be to those who have not, but give regardless".
Her father fearlessly challenged the charity canvasser on the main high street. "And exactly where were you when baby P was battered to death." "Oh well" replied the amiable young man "there are cases that slip through the net, would you consider a donation to help with our work." "Yes" her father replied "when I actually see you are achieving results. Trouble with this Nanny state is it appears to pick on the innocent and avoid the genuinely serious reports like the plague" he concluded.
Gemma walked into the bathroom that night to replace towels as her eight year old daughter was having her bath. She flinched observing legs covered in bruises from thigh to ankle. "What on earth" she exclaimed "where did you get those bruises" she enquired. Her daughter replied "the kids at school kick my legs under the dinner table"
The following day Gemma hurtled towards the door marked Head Mistress. "Could you tell me why my daughter is being kicked by the other kids when she is sitting at the dining table. I have counted exactly 30 bruises on them. Obviously this is going on under the table and unnoticed by the dinner ladies. She was met with a blank stare followed by a look of incredulous denial. "Oh I don't think so" "You don't" replied Gemma "well if this doesn't stop I will remove my daughter from your school." In today's world the headmistress would have reported the mother to social services and Gemma herself would have been under interrogation.
The days are long gone when there was a sense of community. The local policeman was respected and free to administer a sharp slap as he apprehended the kid who was brazenly climbing up his neighbour's drain pipe totally impervious to the fact that he was in danger of breaking his neck.
Nanna kept a watchful eye on the kids playing in the street, not afraid to reprimand with a gentle mix of authority and love. Thanks to the so called permissive society most of today's children are not afraid of anything or anyone and quite happily lie threatening both their parents and teachers. They don't fear God, the police or what we laughingly call "the justice system" They are the future of this country, God help us all.
Of course there are always parents who try to teach their children a moral code and sound values, but their kids are usually the target of the bullies and some actually commit suicide. Is there a future? God isn't even in the equation for most. It's the rule of the con man and the thug. The blank stare and the hard heart.
Children are simply beautiful but they do get things a tad twisted. One child is reported as saying "do it to others before they do it to you" quoting the author as Jesus when what he meant to say was
"do for others as you would have them do for you" They are very aware of the hypocrisy and injustice of the powers that be and intend making the best of things. After all if they can do it, so can we. We should be leading by example, and the example is terrible. Yes this is Britain 2015. Drive past, don't see, it's all about me.
Perhaps the saddest song belongs to the elderly. Trapped in ever weakening bodies that just refuse to cooperate, in a society that has little respect for their wisdom, perhaps contemplating whether to support the drive to ditch this particular burden on the state budget.
They have much to contribute but for the most part live out the rest of their lives in little boxes watching the constant stream of drivel that emanates twenty four seven from the television in the corner of their cage. Gemma asked Lisa "why do you have the television on all day watching those awfully boring chat shows" Lisa replied sadly "oh it's just company when you're on your own." Hey lads and lassies it is written Moses was eighty years old before God called him to lead His people. There's time for you to rise up and make a difference. There's always the rebel, the odd one out protesting alongside the young activists, and the local widow who made history abseiling on her 100th birthday. Her smiling face alongside the headline in the local paper.
If we simply 'cared' for one another, helped one another, shared the burden along the way, we could make a real difference.
The frightened hostile child that has been carefully taught everyone is dangerous hides her face and fears the dark. But there is always the innocent exuberant loving child who spontaneously smiles at all she meets. Her laughter is infectious, her name is Hope and she brightens every dark corner.
"May heaven be filled with such as these"
Nanna
In a world that doesn't care, she is there.
Time is running out,
but she still has clout.
Nobody great,
insignificant and small,
many a time
her back to the wall.
Suffering to come,
will decide her fate.
When the chips were down,
empty her plate.
And from the four winds,
the angels will come,
she's part of the harvest,
her work is now done.
T.Hills
2015
Dedicated to my grandparents who were my rock and my shelter,
and the constant in my life.
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