He was no more than ten years old as he pranced restlessly around the department store. His mother and sister were shopping for a new handbag and his patience was wearing thin. Mom promised to take him out to  dinner when she finished making her purchase. But he just couldn’t stop moving.

I observed them as they approached the register to make their purchase. His mom and sister were talking about the color of their handbag and whether or not they made the right decision. Still restless and uncontrollable, his mother tried to get his attention in order to calm him down. Then out of no where, he blurted out, “I wish I had never been born.”

What on earth would posses a child so young to make such a negative statement? His life experience is only at the beginning stages. Yet, I was totally surprised at his words. Apparently, his poor mother was so shocked, she was speechless. As she continued to make her purchase, you could tell from her expression, her heart was broken. She told her son, she no longer wanted to go out to dinner and they would go home.

I intervened and talked to him about his statement. I also asked him whether or not God would approve of this behavior. After we spoke briefly to one another, I asked him to ask for forgiveness. He was so eager to make things right because he really wanted to make peace with mom and go out to dinner.

I wondered, what was going on in the mind of this child which would cause him to feel this way? Restless, but not enough to go so deep spiritually, cutting to the core of his soul. It bothered me and I continued to think about him all day. We will never know, but God Knows.

Life is so short and everyday it seems like it’s getting shorter. He has so much to live for and yet without thinking, his words got the best of him.

He is a child, but I think about grownups whose life is impacted due to the life they are living. Unfortunately, they’ve seen another side of life, that most of us don’t see everyday. That’s why, it’s so important to pray for others who are suffering through hardships.

We are blessed in so many ways, and yet it takes a small child unknowingly to remind us of the hurts other people are experiencing. It’s so easy to be comfortable in our own life while forgetting to counsel and lift others up who so desperately need our help.

Nugget of Truth: not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interest of the others.

Philippians 2:4