I’ve Heard Worse
"I've heard worse," He said to me.
My heart was pierced to the core. I could barely hold back
tears as I said, "Lord, please work in my grandson's heart." I wept
as he left the car for school, wondering why he could have no compassion for
the situation I just talked about to him. Is it our home life, our example or
the effects of a generation who seeks mindless pleasure online, with technology
and the arrogance that brings? Or just the somewhat normal feelings of a boy his age, that he knows it all, even at
twelve-years-old?
This subject came up as I was listening to an interview with
Steven Curtis Chapman on the radio, a man whose family has experienced great
tragedy and loss. I thought perhaps telling him the back story* of the man
who possessed such joy as he expressed his love for music and the Lord, would
be a teachable moment. Isn't that what we all look for with children, that
moment where perhaps their hearts are touched and they remember it, long after
we're gone?
“Grammy-winning
Christian music star Steven Curtis Chapman and his family suffered a profound
loss on May 21, 2008 when his 5-year-old daughter Maria Sue was accidentally
hit by his 17-year-old son, after she ran into the path of his SUV in their
driveway. Maria later died at a Nashville hospital.”
How could I raise a
child with such a lack of compassion, Lord? What can I do about it? He
barely spoke as he got out of the car. Maybe he was mad at my reaction to his
words.
"I've heard worse."
Yes, I have too, but that doesn't mean I have no compassion
for a family going through pain like that. Pain for the grief of losing a
child. Pain for the guilt that you know the older son felt as the one who for
some reason didn't see his little sister as she ran towards him. Pain like that
affects a family forever, just as each family has their own pain and grief.
Each family, I believe it's true, really does have their tailor-made cross, a
cross that they can bear only with the help of a Savior.
Yes, I've heard worse and grieve with my other grandsons on
the loss of their godfather in a motorcycle accident recently. A father and
grandfather that in our eyes is gone way too soon from this earth.
Yes, “I've heard worse,” when I think of a mother grieving
the loss of her children, praying for reconciliation at some point in their
life, yet not knowing if that will ever happen this side of heaven.
"I've heard worse," when I think of older widows
who have found love again but can't marry because of loss of benefits that they
need to be able to survive financially.
"I've heard worse," as I think about those who
live with chronic pain, so chronic at times they feel like ending it all.
"I've heard worse," when I think of all the little
children who grow up in homes where their needs are not met and they take on
the role of an adult to their parents. That's the only way they will survive,
it seems.
"I've heard worse," when I think of all the
children who are abducted for the sex trade and all the immoral people who say
they are just giving love when in reality they have stolen the very heart and
soul of a child. May they have a special place in hell, I hate to say, is
something I pray.
"I've heard worse," as I think of all the aborted
children and all the excuses politically correct people use to justify stealing
the life from a new baby.
But just because I've heard worse doesn't stop the tears
from falling. Oh, I've heard worse and perhaps the worst thing might be the
rearing of a generation who are compassionless to real life and real people.
I once wrote something for a contest; it was supposed to be
a horror story and one paragraph. It was about people who were so mindless that
they stared into a computer or television set endlessly. When you saw their
faces, there were no mouths. This was the evolution of a generation who were
passive and only interacted with unreality and technology. The ability to
communicate had been taken from them.
Lord, have mercy upon us all and join me in praying for the
next generation. I know that good will come. I know that even in my young
grandson's heart a strong man of God will be raised up from what looks like a
cold, know-it-all heart. I know my Redeemer lives and on the last day He will
conquer the hurts, conquer the pains and help us overcome.
I'm thinking a call-out to those in youth group ministry may
in order, a call for a teaching on compassion, love and just old fashioned
respect.
But I'm pretty sure the phrase; "I've heard worse"
will forever reduce me to tears.
*http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=5519704
