The Way It Is

Most days I handle the emotional aspect of ministering to the kids in the Juvenile Justice System fairly well. Occasionally I encounter a child's life story that sometimes takes me a while to work through. As I share this encounter I want to make it clear that this is in no way a judgment or criticism of anyone or any agency, this is just the way it is sometimes.
This person had signed up for a chaplain visit. Initially they were very quiet but after about 15 minutes they volunteered a brief synopsis of why they have difficulty believing in God. When this child, who was presently in their early teens, was younger, their family struggled financially. The father would try to find work each day to have enough money to afford a cheap motel. At times they would stay overnight at their grandmother's house. The relationship with grandmother was tenuous and their stays with her were sporadic and short-lived. It was difficult for them to watch their mother ask strangers for money, but, as long as they were able to stay together as a family, that was all that mattered to them.
At one point they moved to Texas and found a landlord who would allow the father to do odd jobs for him and stay in a rental home rent free. Although they had no furniture this was a happy time for their family. Not long after they had moved into the rental, a tornado destroyed their home and they were forced to move back to stay with their grandmother. As their father found employment they were able to rent another home and, although they were still without furniture, they were still together as a family. One day the SRS came to their home and eventually removed the children from their home until the parents could provide proof that they could financially take care of their children. From the perspective of this individual the parents had accomplished all that SRS had asked them to do but still the children were unable to return home. When this person was put in their third foster home they decided it would be better to live on the streets than to stay in foster homes. It didn't take long for them to join a gang and eventually end up taking another persons life.
This story is from the perspective of a young teenager and may be lacking in some of the facts, but, what we do know is that stories like this happen all too often in our society. We overlook the powerful impact family has on our lives. We don't realize how emotional comforts far outweigh physical comforts in a child's life. It is more tolerable for a child to live without a bed than it is to live without their family.
During this holiday season and into the new year, I hope we will all make our families the priority they should be and do what we can to "look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. " (James 1:27)