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Education Ministry

Posted on October 8, 2003 ...

Lessons from the Family Album

1978 was the year I realized the world could be a very cruel place. Having enjoyed a sheltered and idealic childhood in Alaska, I was still quite na?Øve when my family moved to Pleasanton, California. At age 13, I entered the eighth grade as the shy, awkward new kid in a school with the reputation of being one of the roughest in the area. I will save you the painful details of that year. Suffice it to say, I found nothing at all pleasant in Pleasanton, California.

What I did find, however, was a new appreciation for my family. At school, I was in the war zone; always on guard and dodging bullies like Jack Phelan and another kid in a grown man’s body they called Munoz. But at home, I found my sanctuary. In the company of my mom and dad and sister, I could be myself without having to worry about doing or saying something that would elicit a taunting word or spit wads or worse. It was during this extremely difficult year that my family became my safe haven.

Twenty-five years have passed and I am no longer the kid most likely to be picked on. Yet I find that I still need a safe haven – a place where I know I am loved and accepted among people who genuinely care about me. If you are honest, you will have to admit you need a safe haven, too. You all know too well that the world is a very difficult place to live. You all have your own stories. You all face your own bullies – whether they come in the form of actual people who seem committed to making your life miserable or a particularly difficult situation that seems to have gotten the best of you. We all need a place where we can let down our guard, be ourselves, and know we are among friends.

God has called us to be just such a place for one another. We, the family of God, are the means through which He comforts the afflicted, encourages the discouraged, strengthens the weak, and defends the helpless. A real church family is a harbor where those battered by the storms of life can find rest and shelter. So let us be diligent in caring for one another. Let us be a safe haven for our brothers and sisters in need. And by the way, if you ever find you have had a “Munoz” of a day, give me a call. I’ll be there for you.