READ: PSALM 127
Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him. (V. 3)
Lunch is a well-deserved break from work or play. Valuable time can be spent talking with family, friends and co-workers. “Can you do lunch today,” is truly a welcomed invitation that often brings joy to the human spirit.
One day, I was invited to have a lunch that was directly related to my duties as a police officer. It would turn out to be one like no other during the course of my career. The tables and chairs were small and uncomfortable for a person of my size, but the atmosphere was alive with the shouts and busy chatter of children. I was having lunch with the students at a local elementary school. These students were being rewarded for their academic accomplishments, during the previous week, by having lunch with a Police Officer.
The “Lunch Bunch” was a program initiated by a very introspective Community Services Officer in a neighborhood school that served some of the poorest students in the area. Many of the students viewed the police in a negative context. Far too often, we had entered their homes to restore order and make arrests after episodes of family violence or criminal activity. Additionally, their view of law enforcement had been impacted by their lives in other countries where the police often served in a corrupt and repressive manner. These were the silent innocent victims of the misdeeds and violent behavior exhibited by the adults in their lives. Today, their excitement and pride were not in the least bit dampened by their past police experiences. My soul was burdened by the weight of some of their stories, but conversely lightened by their smiles and uninhabited displays of friendship and respect. Outwardly tough and resilient by necessity, they proved to be children full of insight and understanding. The evidence of God’s unfailing grace marked my encounter with the “lunch bunch!”
The lunch program accomplished its intended purpose of creating a positive law enforcement image and relationship with the youngest members of this community. The Lord used a police- community outreach program to teach us the importance of investing time and resources with those who are often only shadows in their communities—the children. Jesus was actively found in an elementary school cafeteria—maybe we all need to join him to make a difference in the lives of all our children.
PAUSE FOR REFLECTION AND PRAYER
When is the last time you paid attention to the words and actions of the children that are around you each day?
Thank you, Jesus, for the gift of children and using them to teach us the true meaning of trust and love.