No One Talks To Me, Daddy!
He sits in a sea of kids
Outside of a chapel called Grace
He’s supposed to be one among many
But he’s in actual fact
Lonely.
“No one talks to me, Daddy!
So why should I Sunday after Sunday come?
But I’ll do it, cos you asked me to
Though it’s clear to me this is not fun.”
It’s not about fun I wanted to say
But no words fall forth from my pursed lips
I could only sit and slowly retreat
Into my own silent recriminating.
It’s true son, to come I did coerce you
I believe you need community
We all do
For no man is an island
So you need to make new friends
I just didn’t think a place of Grace
Had so little to offer
Had no one who understands
Son, we need friends to help us navigate life
And build your relational identity
What better place than the Church, right?
At least that’s what your naive dad once believed
But I know better now and yet
There’s something more at stake here and
If it means you turn up week after week
Let it be a reminder to that world they need you
Then let’s turn up alright?
And turn their world upside down!
To teach them one day to love those differently-abled
Not love only those who walk, talk, laugh like them
Who check all the right boxes and needn’t depend
On the kindness of strangers
The kind you and I both need so desperately.
To withstand
The onslaughts of life and the many tribulations
It’s hard this side of mercy, so we need friends and stabilization
My heart breaks when I realize
No one would talk to you week after week
Kids can really be merciless and cruel
Yet I can’t force them to talk to you
Inclusion doesn’t come naturally
The kids in your Sunday School were never conditioned
Nor their teachers and parents
To understand your unique situation.
What a pity
You could have opened their minds and hearts
But they’re too busy playing society’s normal roles and parts
And so it’s up to us to bring home the message
Yes we’ll keep going
Keep getting into their faces
Making them uncomfortable
Til they realize that it’s them that needs
You
So they can better understand the real look of
Heaven
Where God talks to everyone
But especially
YOU!
This is a highlight, Kelvin. Wow. “And so it’s up to us to bring home the message…”
Powerful.
This reveals a need in many of our lives.