2 (1) With my voice I cry to Adonai,
with my voice I plead to Adonai for mercy.
3 (2) Before him I pour out my complaint,
before him I tell my trouble.
4 (3) When my spirit faints within me,
you watch over my path.
By the road that I am walking
they have hidden a snare for me.
5 (4) Look to my right, and see
that no one recognizes me.
I have no way of escape;
nobody cares for me.
6 (5) I cried out to you, Adonai;
I said, “You are my refuge,
my portion in the land of the living.”
7 (6) Listen to my cry,
for I have been brought very low.
Rescue me from my persecutors,
for they are too strong for me.
Learn to do good; seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan, plead for the widow.[Isaiah 1:17 (NRSV)]I remember a troubling incident from my childhood. Hearing a great ruckus of chirping on the lawn, I discovered that a flock of sparrows had surrounded an albino sparrow. Ferociously, they pecked at the unusual bird, screeching and hemming him in. The birds on the edge of the group flapped about — waiting their turn to attack — as the albino crouched, helpless. I ran clapping my hands and yelling, “Stop that!” The other sparrows flew away, twittering among themselves. The albino hesitated for a moment, dazed and injured, then flew to the nearest bush.
That experience made an impression on me because I had witnessed bullying in school. Back then, adults often shrugged off rude words or aggressive behavior as “kids just being kids.” But these days, people take seriously the hurtful words and actions that can affect children for a lifetime. Jesus calls us not to be bystanders when others are being mistreated but instead to be active in making our world kinder. The psalmist cried to God when others made him suffer. Today, we can help answer cries like his as we follow God’s call to prevent cruelty and display compassion.
Read more from the author, here.More from Genie Stoker
I've seen wonderful changes in the world since I was a kid, and let's hope it continues! With every follower of Jesus working to make the world kinder, we can keep the momentum going.
I'm warmed by the respectful atmosphere growing in public schools. Hallway posters warn "This is a No Bullying Zone," dazzling murals proclaim kindness, and there's new protocol to help students resolve conflict peacefully.
When I find a program that teaches kindness, I love to spread the word. The latest I've found is Beyond Differences. Founded by parents and friends of a girl who was treated differently because Apert syndrome made her look different, Beyond Differences combats social isolation among teens and pre-teens. They sponsor the national No One Eats Alone day for school cafeterias, also BKOL (Be Kind Online) that combats cyber bullying and SUSI: Stand Up, Step In that encourages bystanders to deal with bullying. As an individual act of ministry, I'm contacting school leaders to tell them about No One Eats Alone. Those in my family are not eating alone, but those who do can suffer lasting damage.
Someone told me recently that everyone should Google their name to find what's on the internet. I was surprised to find an article written two decades ago still floating in cyberspace. "PeaceBuilders: Prevention of Youth Violence is Community Effort" features a peaceful techniques to diffuse tensions before they escalate. Founded by a psychologist and Sunday school teacher, PeaceBuilders works well in public schools.
What if each of us were to share one idea, one program to build kindness with just a few community or school leaders? What if we wrote about it online? What an impact we could make![Genie Stoker]
The Author: Genie Stoker (Arizona, USA)
Thought for the Day: When someone is being mistreated, God calls me into action.
Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for your love. May we have the courage to share it with others — especially those who are in harm’s way. Amen.
Prayer focus: Those who encourage compassion in children
I'm warmed by the respectful atmosphere growing in public schools. Hallway posters warn "This is a No Bullying Zone," dazzling murals proclaim kindness, and there's new protocol to help students resolve conflict peacefully.
When I find a program that teaches kindness, I love to spread the word. The latest I've found is Beyond Differences. Founded by parents and friends of a girl who was treated differently because Apert syndrome made her look different, Beyond Differences combats social isolation among teens and pre-teens. They sponsor the national No One Eats Alone day for school cafeterias, also BKOL (Be Kind Online) that combats cyber bullying and SUSI: Stand Up, Step In that encourages bystanders to deal with bullying. As an individual act of ministry, I'm contacting school leaders to tell them about No One Eats Alone. Those in my family are not eating alone, but those who do can suffer lasting damage.
Someone told me recently that everyone should Google their name to find what's on the internet. I was surprised to find an article written two decades ago still floating in cyberspace. "PeaceBuilders: Prevention of Youth Violence is Community Effort" features a peaceful techniques to diffuse tensions before they escalate. Founded by a psychologist and Sunday school teacher, PeaceBuilders works well in public schools.
What if each of us were to share one idea, one program to build kindness with just a few community or school leaders? What if we wrote about it online? What an impact we could make![Genie Stoker]
The Author: Genie Stoker (Arizona, USA)
Thought for the Day: When someone is being mistreated, God calls me into action.
Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for your love. May we have the courage to share it with others — especially those who are in harm’s way. Amen.
Prayer focus: Those who encourage compassion in children
---------------------
No comments:
Post a Comment