The Boy

Yesterday was our first writing  assignment of the new school year in my Gospels classes. I projected this picture on the screen with these directions:
Tell me your reaction to this photograph OR discuss how you believe it will relate to our class. Here are some of the replies, all used with permission. I will share some more of these thoughts tomorrow.

My reaction is to be sickened that there are people out there with almost nothing and begging for help while others who have more just walk by and are oblivious to the need. I'm also disgusted by humanity doing nothing to help. People should not have to go through anything as torturous as starvation. It makes me realize how selfish some folks are. I have also lost my appetite and I'm no longer hungry. -Amara
The picture kind of scares me. It scares me in the sense that there are still places in this world where things like this are normal.It scares me that in some places people are so poor and unfortunate that they are forced to beg on the street to a very unforgiving and callous crowd. This picture is overall disturbing to me. I just don't understand how things like this could happen when we live such a good life. It's just sad. -Clayton

It just shocked me to see that this is the way someone lives. It hurts me to see how anyone can just leave that poor boy there. There are people in the world, begging to be helped, not just physically and emotionally but spiritually. They are crying out to us as Christians to help but it seems we just overlook them. We are here on this earth for one reason and one reason only: to bring people to the Lord. -Isabel

This picture strongly relates to the story of the sick woman who couldn't find a cure who touched Jesus' cloak and was instantly cured. This picture greatly  saddens me. In God's eyes, we are like the boy. We have nothing compared to God and we need something from Him all the time. He always has something we need, just like the boy needs food. It might be forgiveness of sin, healing, or even money to feed a family. We look up to God and follow His footsteps. But we can also be the man. Since we have grown up very blessed with water, food, a roof over our head, and family and friends who love us, we can help the less fortunate with what we have. Often, we write it off and say, I can't help, but it really only takes one person to start something bigger than just ourselves. We complain about what we have but we should realize what others don't have and be willing to give. -Jake

I think this picture relates to Jesus in that it's kind of like a beggar bowing down to Jesus in order to be saved or helped in any way possible. The boy being so malnourished may represent the way we as human beings are malnourished or hollow before we let God enter our hearts to where we begin to feel healthy again, and filled. The boy represents us in many ways whether we realize it or not. The man represents God as we are begging for Him to enter us and heal us spiritually. -Cassandra

God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1
www.hawleybooks.com
E-mail me at steve@hawleybooks.com