A little compassion...

A new family came this morning, their second visit.  They have a baby girl and a two year old boy, both of whom came to the nursery with me.  Victor had been pretty good in Sunday School, which surprised me, because I had watched him last week, his first visit, and he had squalled 80% of the time.  It's so hard for a small one to get used to the idea that these strangers won't keep you forever, they will be nice to you, give you crackers, and then give you back to mommy pretty quick.

I took the nursery for the church service, and he started to protest when he noticed the Changing of the Guard.  The nice lady he was used to was leaving, without his permission, and I was taking her place.  He was not amused.  He started to shriek when she closed the door, he shrieked when I looked at him, he shrieked when I offered him a toy without making eye contact, and he really raised the roof when Moises, the other toddler, decided he wanted some of the toys Victor was hoarding.  I put Moises in the middle of some other toys, and turn part of my back on Victor, where I could see him out of the corner of my eye.  Sitting on the floor, we began making towers with blocks.  This is usually irresistible for small boys, as they always want to help building, or see what happens when you knock it down.  The shrieking subsided to a miserable whimper, as Victor began to be interested in the project.


Then I noticed something.  As he mumbled complaints against me and Moises, Victor was pulling his ear and twisting his pinky inside constantly.  Light bulb!  I said, "Your ear hurts, doesn't it?"  He looked at me and nodded seriously.  I said, "I'm sorry, ears hurt a lot when they hurt."  He nodded again, then offered some advice on the construction of my tower.  I told him he'd better show me what he meant, and he reached over and began to build up my tower.

After that he was my buddy.  Yes, his ear hurt, but what he really wanted was to know that someone understood, and was on his side.

Jude 1:22  And of some have compassion, making a difference: