By Rey Daiz
It’s never good to have favorites when it comes to
kids. While I was a teacher in Honduras,
I would always say, “They are my second favorite.” Everyone was my second favorite. But really I
did have a favorite. It’s a young man
named Douglas.
I met Douglas a kid in 2004.
He worked in the garbage dump with his parents and older siblings. I was at his sixth grade graduation. And this December, I was at his High School
graduation. I invested more in him than
in any of the others because I sensed something in his heart. He is a bigger boy with the tough guy
reputation but he has the most sensitive, generous, and pure hearts. I was so
proud of him at his graduation. You can
probably tell by the picture. Maoly, the
girl pictured next to him, also graduated and is another one of my favorites.
Douglas and Maoly are witnesses of God’s wonderful grace.
Living martyrs. They are devoted followers of Jesus. They have
escaped the garbage dump. They have escaped the many temptation of their
communities. They have fought, and with God's help, have overcome insurmountable
odds. Now they are both on their way to
university. They are already agents of transformation in their
communities.
The cycle of poverty has been broken. The power of sin
has been broken. It’s complete. It’s done. It’s finished.
This is the abundant life Jesus promised.
After graduation, I found pictures of that sixth grade graduation
of the senior class. Their class was three times as big- but only
Antonio, Douglas and Maoly made it through High School.
One is a gang member, currently in jail.
Another works as basically an indentured servant.
Two are single parents raising their kids.
So although I rejoice with these two, part of me is broken
for the ones who have fallen. All of them had the same
opportunities. Some made wise
choices. Others made unwise choices.
I wondered, what if there had been a time machine back at
their sixth grade graduation? What if
they could have gotten inside, gone forward, seen their High School graduation,
college, future possibilities? Then go back. What choices would
they have made? Anything different? Of course.
You see, wisdom is a time machine. Wisdom grants us
access to God’s will. Wisdom shows us
which is the best path. Wisdom leads to
life.
Wisdom is a time machine and the wise make decisions based
on the end.
It’s easy to see where these children in the garbage dump
went wrong. It’s not so easy to see
where we go wrong in our own lives.
Which is why we need wisdom. All
of us need wisdom.
I have challenged the church to get into the time machine by
reading a proverb everyday during the month of January. On January first, we are all going to read
Proverbs 1.
Will you join us?
Will you get in the time machine with us?