When we were kids, we couldn’t wait to grow up!  We were going to do whatever we want and not have to ask permission.  We would watch whatever we wanted, listen to whatever music we wanted, and eat whatever we wanted and all would be right with the world.  As an awkward teenager  or a dorky elementary school student we thought to ourselves “someday, when I’m a grown up, people won’t be mean and immature.  There won’t be any “popular kids”  or cliques and everyone will just be nice to one another.  Nobody will ever push me around or make me feel bad about myself.  Everything in the world will be rainbows, butterflies, and lollipops”.

Then we grew up, got married, had some kids and realized that growing up wasn’t as much fun as we thought it was going to be.  There are bills to pay, mouths to feed, floors to mop, and lots and lots of stress.   We do NOT get to do whatever we want whenever we want because finding a babysitter is like finding a pearl in an oyster and it’s awfully expensive too!  We don’t get to watch whatever we want either because anything not rated G or PG is just out of the question, and we always have nursery rhymes and Veggie Tales songs stuck in our heads.  Nobody told us we couldn’t eat whatever we wanted once we were adults either because it would go straight to our thighs!  Life my friends is NOT all rainbows, butterflies, and lollipops as an adult.  All of this was disappointing to learn but not nearly as disappointing as learning that adults are STILL mean and immature.  The “popular kids” still exist and although they’ve traded in their backpacks for designer handbags and luxury SUV’s, they still know how to make you feel small.  Yep, sad truth is adults are NOT always nice to one another!  You just have to accept the fact that often grown adults will get jealous, they will talk about you behind your back, they get bossy, and even form cliques that you won’t always be a part of.  They will be unkind, inconsiderate, and just blatantly rude from time to time too.

But not you!  Nope, you’re nothing like these rude, clique forming adults I speak of right?

WRONG!

We need to remember that all of these not so nice qualities live inside each and every one of us.  We’re all guilty of gossiping about one another, we’re all guilty of leaving someone out of our circle of friends, and we’re all incredibly guilty of judging one another like God has appointed us his CEO of the judgment department!   Somedays it’s harder to keep our inner demons at bay than others.  The important thing to remember is that while there is bad in everyone, there is also good.  Just as God forgives us when we are not so nice to him, we should forgive others who are not always so nice to us and should strive to be equally kind to everyone!  Everyone is fighting a battle of their own so treat others the way you would like to be treated.  Don’t make it a point to leave people out or make them feel like less of a person just because you can!  In short, don’t be a bully because there will always be a bigger kid capable of bullying YOU!

These are important things to remember for 3 reasons:

1.  Nobody likes to be bullied or made fun of.  Nobody likes to be made to feel like their thoughts, opinions, feelings, and self worth are less valuable than anyone else’s.

2.  Remember those kids we’re raising?  You know, the ones who we strive so hard to shelter from these mean bully kids?  These kids are looking to us for examples of the kind of adults they should become.  If we are portraying an adult who speaks poorly about other people, who often says things like “no, I’m not going because so and so will be there and I don’t like her”,  or shows no concept of compromise or kind regard for the feelings and well being of others, than we are failing these children miserably!  They will be destined to become rude, snobby, bossy, boastful, unkind adults!

3. Most importantly, God commands us to be kind to one another time and time again throughout the bible!  He commands us to be forgiving and compassionate just as he is with us.

Ephesians 4:32 “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as Christ God forgave you”

James 2:8 “If you really keep the royal law found in scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself”,  you are doing right”

The bottom line here folks is we’re all sinners.  Romans 3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”.  Nobody is asking you to be perfect and we are all a far cry from the people God is calling us to be but nobody young or old should have to deal with the mean kids on the playground.  If we all made a conscious effort to do what God is asking and just simply be kind and compassionate to one another, I imagine the mean kids on the playground would cease to exist!  Reach out to someone this week and let that beautiful light shine through you!  Sometimes we have to step out of our comfort zones and often including others in our plans is an inconvenience but if we ALL put others before ourselves, we would always have someone out there putting us first.

Lord, today my prayer is that you make me more like you.  Make me more compassionate and tolerant of the “mean kids” who aren’t always the easiest to love.  Help me to lay my own hurt aside to be forgiving to those who have never even asked for forgiveness.  Work through me to show them the joy and peace that only you can give.  I pray Lord that you will penetrate  the hearts of my children so they will always let your kindness shine through to their peers all their lives.  I pray that you will use my actions and my words to be a living example of your love and mercy to my husband, my children, my friends, family, and everyone I come in contact with.  Fill my heart with your peace and love and grant me a spirit of compassion and kindness.  Thank you so very much for loving me and forgiving me even though I don’t deserve it.   Amen ❤