My mother linked me a story last night about a little girl in the Bronx that had fallen out a 7 story window and survived. The little girl, named Destiny, was 1 of 11. My mother found the comments on the story to be filled with hatred and she simply couldn't believe how cruel a person could be. The article was in the NY Daily News. Be warned there is awful language, dreadful comments. It will sting.
I, however, was not shocked. I had read many a comment on forums and blogs about big families that filled me with indignation. I knew the hatred that was out there. I knew what people really thought when they saw me with my children out and about. Some didn't even hold their tongues about it. Its made me wary when someone approaches us, if they will say something I need to protect my children from. I understand that they will have to get used to hearing certain things but no child needs to hear that we "have too many children, just too many." My children are old enough to understand these things.
I am not a meek, mild mannered conservative Christian woman. I have always struggled in that regard. I don't tell people what they want to hear, I tell them what they need to hear. I am not trying to be arrogant and claim to know what people need. But I won't lie to someone to spare their feelings. When someone approaches me I don't just take it. The Lord said that in weakness He is strong. I had yet to see it. My weakness was my mouth. Even though I thought well before I spoke my words never came out the way I wanted them to.
Then I read a blog and what they said kindled a white hot fire in me. I had something to say about it. But I wasn't going to go about it on a soap box. I wanted to show the world what it was really like inside a quiverfull house. The love, the fun, the joy and yes the trials, the hardships and the pain. I wanted people to see we aren't ignorant or always on welfare. I wanted them to see us for Humans. And in that, they could see themselves. Perhaps they could look past the stereotypes and love us for who we are even if they don't agree with us. And in that I finally saw God's strength in my weakness.
Jesus didn't hold his tongue either. You say what needs to be said, and you say it in love. But Jesus never let anyone walk all over him, and Christians don't need to either. There's a difference between being meek and a doormat.
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