The Neighbor's Son

We used to live next door to a single momma with two teenage kiddos, a boy and his little sister. This young man was desperately in need of a father figure and acted out regularly to show it. His momma worked very hard to put food on the table and sincerely loved her children. Her long hours at her job coupled with the drive back and forth put these youngsters in the place of having to be alone much of the time in the afternoon and early evening.

One afternoon on a snowy day, I looked out the window to see this young boy out in the middle of the yard doing snow angels in nothing but a pair of shorts and a tank top. It was nearly freezing that day and a very bitter wind was blowing. I'm not completely certain why I did what I did next, except to say the momma in me took over. I marched my little 5ft. self out to the grass and demanded he stand up. I looked up into his face with his nearly 6ft. 170-pound frame looming over me and I proceeded to chew him up and spit him out for being out in the cold without shoes, a coat or even proper clothing! I don't remember my exact words, but it was something to the tune of "Young man, have you lost your ever-lovin' mind?" And you can imagine how it went from there. He did nothing but hang his head and whisper yes ma'am. I insisted he go inside and take off his wet clothes before he froze to death and went into my own house muttering threats the whole time. I took it upon myself to whip up a batch of hot cocoa and put several pieces of the cake I'd made that afternoon into some Tupperware. I gathered it up, went and rapped on their door and told him and his younger sister to eat and drink, or else. Once again, I got a quiet yes ma'am and a quick look in the eye. 

As I went back to my own home, I began to wonder if I'd done the right thing. Was it really any of my business to tell someone else's child what to do? What would my husband say if he came home and found out I'd challenged this boy who was prone to pranks and from what we'd seen, even a bit of violent behavior? The reality of the situation began to sink into my hot-headed frame and I began to shake from head to toe. Oh, I had really messed it up this time. My complete lack of thought before action had crashed in on my head and finally sunk me into the abyss of gettin' in trouble! 

Interrupting my worrisome thoughts, there was a knock at the door. There was his momma on my stoop. Oh brother, I'm dead meat. I opened the door with a tentative look on my face, I'm sure. Nothing surprised me more than what happened next. She came in and hugged me and began to thank me profusely for giving her kids a snack. Hmmm, I gave her kids a snack? Yeah, I guess that was what I did... In the spirit of truthfulness, I began to tell her what I did from start to finish. She shook her head and sighed the momma's sigh of "what am I gonna do with this child". She smiled at me and said how much she appreciated having another momma around while she was at work and how much comfort it gave her to know someone was watching out for them when she couldn't. (tear, sniff) I managed a smile and a "Jesus loves you guys." As I closed the door when she left, I sighed a sigh of relief. Whew! It had worked out, the Lord had taken my thoughtless behavior and once again, used it for at least a little glory for His name. I'd love to say I witnessed to them, they all dropped to their knees and received Jesus, but no, that didn't happen this time.

Even though I wished for that outcome, the Lord taught me something. Sometimes, we are just called to plant the seed. We are supposed to be Jesus to this world. Sometimes that means a hind-end chewing and a snack. It's okay to be me, that's what He created me for...

 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.  For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,  I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me."

- Matthew 25:34-36