“Don’t pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults—unless, of course, you want the same treatment. That critical spirit has a way of boomeranging,” Mth.7:1-2.
“So let’s agree to use all our energy in getting along with each other. Help others with encouraging words; don’t drag them down by finding fault,” Romans 14:19.
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“Momma, can you believe that Shawn can’t ride a two wheeler yet,” asked Wyatt with obvious condemning shock?
“Yeah, what’s the big deal, we all learn things at different ages,” I reminded.
“The big deal is that he is 9 years old Momma. He should know how to ride a two wheeler by now,” Wyatt insisted.
“Hmm, and who put you in charge of deciding that? I know plenty of kids who learned how to sleep through the night without wetting their beds at the same time they were potty trained. (A personal Achilles reminder was the necessary ingredient to check the ensuing pride in my child who, I’m quite certain, had probably already boasted the age he learned to ride a two wheeler.)
“Oh, yeah, I guess so,” Wyatt agreed more softly.
“I’ve never met a person yet that God didn’t give a gift to celebrate and a struggle to humble. Our strengths should bring out a ‘thank You’ and our weaknesses an ‘I need You’ from our lips to God’s ears. Struggles are meant to teach us to depend on God and prevent pride from making us ugly.
Remember that different things are important to different people and our words are either building bridges to bring us closer to our friends or blowing them up wrecking our friendship. (I reminded him with our family bridge visual) Has Shawn ever made you feel bad because you don’t know as much about dinosaurs as he does?”
“No, he hasn’t, but he sure does know a lot about dinosaurs!” Wyatt admitted.
“I know that learning to ride a two wheeler came easy for you, but for a lot of kids it doesn’t. Since that’s an area that God gifted you, it seems like you could share that gift by helping Shawn. What words of encouragement can you speak to Shawn that might help him instead of making him feel bad? Think of what you would like someone to say to you when you are learning something hard. In the end, you decide, do you want your words to build bridges or blow them up with Shawn,” I said.
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“Real wisdom, God’s wisdom, begins with a holy life and is characterized by getting along with others. It’s gentle and reasonable, overflowing with mercy and blessings, not hot one day and cold the next, not two-faced. You can develop a healthy, robust community that lives right with God and enjoys its results only if you do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honor,” James 3:17-18.
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