The Time Machine

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?