The Boy- 2013 Part II

Wednesday was our first writing  assignment of the new school year in my Bible 1 classes. As I have done the past several years, I projected this picture on the screen with these directions:
Tell me your reaction to this photograph but don't just tell me what you see.  Last night, I shared some of the responses. Here are some of the replies, all used with permission. I will share some more of these thoughts tomorrow. Boys are in blue and girls are in pink. The writers are 8th/9th/10th graders, respectively.

I’m shocked; at first I didn’t even understand. To see this boy as skinny as a stick, his bones poking out of his frame. How could someone walk right past a boy crawling on all fours devastatingly malnourished and not give him a pinch of food that he has in his bag? Coach Hawley just started talking about the video about teenage affluenza. And I was just thinking how can he do this? So I stopped and thought “Wow, I’m that man.” I’m the man walking down the road fully aware of the malnourished boy and choosing to walk right by him. I always stop and think about what I have to offer the poor, but its usually like a few dimes and I think that they wouldn’t want that and this painfully reminds me that anything can help.

                                    -Mia 

I see a little boy who doesn’t have anyone or anything and the only thing he can do is beg. Also, I see a man who doesn’t care, a man who only thinks about himself and seemingly is blind to a small boy who really needs something or even just someone to be there for him. How can people in this world be so blind? How can they not see what they are doing? My guess is by the way that boy looks that he didn’t last very long after that unless someone helped him. That man could save that boy's life by just giving him some food but instead, he treats him like a piece of dirt on the road. How are we allowed to do this? That is not how human kind should treat each other! It is not okay and I can not believe it is going on all over the world. That man is very selfish and it is sad how people can act like that.

                                    -Jenna 

This photo is an example of selfishness and greed. The little boy is skinny to the bone and the man could give him his food. The sad thing is the kid is so close to the food yet the coldheartedness of the man giving him any is mind rattling and is very unbelievable. The Bible even says help the poor yet the man does not slow down one bit. As I have stated before, this is a perfect example of greed and how sin has corrupted many parts of this world.

                                    -Joshua 

I see a man too selfish, too hurried to pay attention to the beggar at his feet. He is too worried about himself and his life even though it is good while the deprived child is at his feet. It makes me think about the rich man and Lazarus.  Even though the poor child is deprived, I am worried for the rich man. If it is just like the story Jesus told, the rich man is going to have to worry a lot in the end.

                                    -Garrett 

I feel heart-broken, scared, angry but I also wonder what when that boy and that man die, what will happen? It is just like what happen in the Bible; the boy will be with Abraham, and as in the beatitudes, he will have enough to eat and he will live happily in the after-life. But why does he have to live in this life like this? The boy and I are no different and shouldn’t be treated differently. I pray that someone actually takes him in and takes care of him; every life counts and we should not let any pass away, just because they can’t afford the necessities of life.

                                    -Danita 

Applicable quote of the day:
"¹⁴ What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? ¹⁵ Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. ¹⁶ If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? ¹⁷ In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead."

James 2:14-17 (NIV)

God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1

www.hawleybooks.com

E-mail me at steve@hawleybooks.com