I am currently reading Take It Personally, Valuable Insights for People Who Care about Kids (click here to view). In it, the Search Institute lists 40 assets they have “identified as building blocks of healthy development that help young people grow up healthy, caring, and responsible” (page 3). The first grouping of assets is under the category of “Support” and includes the support of adults other than family and the support of a caring neighborhood. (Assets #3 and #4)
Coincidentally, at the same time as reading this book, I received the following email from a Jesus-loving friend:
“Think back to your childhood. Did you have an adult who made a real
difference in your life? I know I had
several. One was my next door neighbor,
OMerril. She was always so sweet to
me. Much like a grandma, just next
door.
I also had a pastor who “lived” up
the block from me who was essential for me, I think. He was a pastor of a small church somewhere—a
couple of hours away, I believe. On the
weekends he would go home. But during
the week he lived in a small trailer on the property where he was building a
church for God. He was always available
to the children in the neighborhood. And
at times he ran a Bible Club for us.
Now, as the world sees things, he was not successful at all. And, he may not have seemed successful to the
religious community either. After many
years of working on the church building, he finally had to sell the
property. By this time we’d moved away
so I don’t know the whole story. I just
know that he helped me with Bible memorization, listened to my problems, taught
me songs, and modeled Christ to me. I know
he tried that with the other kids in the neighborhood. I don’t know how successful he was, but I
know God does.
I’m convinced that kids need
steady, reliable adults in their lives that are NOT their parents. Someone to talk to when things go wrong. Someone to gently, lovingly show them what is
going on.
I have a couple of friends that
were available to (my daughters) when they were teens. They were good for both of us. We really struggled through some things, but
I’m so grateful because (my daughter) has become one of my best friends. I might have missed out on that if it weren’t
for Betty Lou and Tava.”
I want to know the rest of the story too, don’t you?
Though my friend grew up in a Jesus-loving home, she still
found the assets of other adults and a caring neighborhood, powerful in her own
life as well as in the lives of her children.
Like the neighborhood grandma OMerril or friends Betty Lou
and Tava, could the little things you do today be part of someone’s bigger
story down the road? Or like the
nameless pastor, could God be building the church through you in a way you
never dreamed?
Whose ASSET could you be today?
Until Every Girl and Boy Knows JeSuS!
-Annie
*Names of children always changed
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