A NEWSLETTER FOR THE MEMBERS OF THE GREENWOOD CHURCH OF CHRIST

VOLUME 2 NO. 25                                           August 7, 2005

“A BOY NAMED KYLE”

FROM THE PETER'S CREEK CHURCH OF CHRIST BULLETIN

One day, when I was a freshman in High School, I saw a kid from my class walking home from school.  It looked like he was carrying all of his books.  I thought to myself, “Why would anyone bring home all his books on a Friday?  He must really be a nerd.”  I had quite a weekend planned (parties and a football game with my friend's tomorrow afternoon), so I shrugged my sholders and went on.

As I was walking, I saw a bunch of kids running toward him.  They ran at him, knocking all his books out of his arms, and tipping him so he landed in the dirt.  His glasses went flying, and I saw them land in the grass about ten feet from him.  He looked up, and I saw this terrible sadness in his eyes.  My heart went out to him.  So, I jogged over to him as he crawled around looking for his glasses, and I saw a tear in his eye.  As I handed him his glasses, I said, “Those guys are jerks.  They really should get lives.”  He looked at me and said, “Hey, thanks!”  There was a big smile on his face.  It was one of those smiles that showed real gratitude.  I helped him pick up his books, and asked him where he lived.  As it turned out, he lived near me, so I asked him why I had never seen him before.  He said he had gone to a private school before now.  I had never hung out with a private school kid before.  We talked all the way home, and I carried his books.  He turned out to be a pretty cool kid.  I asked him if he wanted to play football on Saturday with my friends and me.  He said yes.  We hung out all weekend, and the more I got to know Kyle, the more I liked him.  And my friends thought the same of him.  Monday morning came, and there was Kyle with the huge stack of books again.  I stopped him and said, “Boy, you are going to really build some muscles with this pile of books every day!”  He just laughed and handed me half of the books.

Over the next four years, Kyle and I became the best of friends.  When we were seniors, we began to think about college.  Kyle decided on Georgetown, and I was going to Duke.  I knew that we would always be friends---that the miles would never be a problem.  He was going to be a doctor, and I was going for business on a football scholarship.  Kyle was valedictorian of our class.  I teased him all the time about being a nerd.  He had to prepare a speech for graduation.  I was so glad it wasn't me having to get up there and speak.

Graduation day, I saw Kyle.  He looked great.  He was one of those guys that really actually looked well in glasses.  He had more dates than me, and all the girls loved him!  Boy, sometimes I was jealous.  Today was one of thoes days.  I could see that he was nervous about his speech.  So, I smacked him on the back, and said, “Hey, big guy, you'll be great!”  He looked at me with one of those looks (the really grateful one), and smiled.  “Thanks,” he said.

As he started his speech, he cleared his throat and began.  “Graduation is a time to thank those who helped you through those tough years.  Your parents, your teachers, your siblings, maybe a coach...but mostly, your friends and I am here to tell you that being a friend to someone is the best gift you can give them.  I am going to tell you a story.”  I just looked at my friend with disbelief as he told the story of the first day we met.  He had planned to kill himself over the weekend.  He talked of how he had cleaned out his locker so his mom wouldn't have to to it later, and was carrying his stuff home.  He looked hard at me and gave me a little smile.  “Thankfully, I was saved.  My friend saved me from doing the unspeakable.”

I heard the gasp go through the crowd as this handsome, popular boy told us all about his weakest moment.  I saw his mom and dad look at me, and smiling that same grateful smile.

Not until that moment did I realize its depth.  Never underestimate the power of youth actions.  With one small gesture you can change a person's life, for better or for worse.  God puts us all in each other's lives to impact one another in some way.  LOOK FOR THE GOOD IN OTHERS.

THOUGHTS ABOUT THE PREVIOUS ARTICLE

BY STEVE NIEMEIER

The previous article of this newsletter has a very deep meaning.  How many times in our lives do we only look at ourselves?  We all have experienced the feelings of “no one has it as tough as I do” and we have all probably lost precious time feeling very sorry for ourselves, just as Kyle was, on the weekend that he met a friend that turned his life around.

In Ecclesiastes the third chapter, we have a very wise man telling us that there is a season or time for everything.  We talk about this and yet when adversity comes many times we forget this passage of Scripture.  While some of us are experiencing the “season of plenty and happiness” others of us are experiencing the “season of pain and sorrow.”  Yet, we have been told that our life is as a vapor and we will appear for a while and then vanish away.  We know that life has its “ups and downs”, none of us mind the “ups” but we sure do dread the “downs”.

As a brother or sister in Christ we need to consider the comforting words that we can find in the Scriptures about life and the fact that Jesus is there for us.  None of us will get to Heaven without experiencing life here on earth.  Satan throws a lot of obstacles in our way to try and distract us, only those that are strong and are obedient to the Lord will be able to overcome these distractions.  God is a God of love, compassion, tenderness, kindness and mercy.  He wants, and is willing to comfort each and every one of us regardless of what “season” we are going through here on earth.  His overwhelming love is ultimately demonstrated on the other side of death, the eternal side in a place that is called Heaven.  However, we see portions of His love in our everyday life, the trees, the birds, the sunshine, the moon, our parents, our spouse, our children, our grandchildren, our material blessings, our friends, OUR BROHTERS AND SISTERS IN CHRIST AND MOST IMPORTANTLY THE GIVING OF A SAVIOR to help us put up with the different seasons here on earth and guide us across the “valley of the shadow of death”.

Just as Kyle needed and found a friend to assist him in turning his life around, we also need to have a friend to assist us.  However, I may be too busy swimming in the “pool of self-pity” to see that I might be able to reach out and “save” the person next to me drowning?  We are to share one another's burdens.  We cannot do that unless we reach out to one another.  My friend, reach out, do not be embarrassed to be a friend, most importantly do not be embarrassed to ask for help when you are going through the “season of pain and sorrow” as this is the time that you allow others to bear your burdens.  May God bless all of us and may we all be thankful for what we have and may we all help each other to understand the meaning of Ecclesiastes the third chapter as each of us are in different “seasons” of our lives.