The Troubled Boy: A Portrait Of Courage
One day a boy came to the school. It was the middle of the day when he arrived outside my classroom with his father. It was mid–January. The father was anxious but the boy was deeply distressed and he clung to his father. He was a tall handsome nine-year-old boy with an open countenance but he was terrified to come into the small classroom of 12 students. Every day he came to school and the father came too or his elder sister came and waited in the hallway for him. The boy cried most of the day from silent tears rolling down his cheeks to loud wailing which could be heard throughout the whole building. He sat in class as long as he could then he jumped up and went out in the hall crying loudly for his father or his sister to take him home.
The days varied, a few times he would come back in the classroom for a bit longer and some days he just went home. When his father or sister tried to leave after the first week the boy wept piteously and begged them not to go. Here is his story.
He had been in public school since kindergarten. In fourth grade in November he saw one of his classmates violently bully another child harming them. He was a quiet spoken boy who when he was asked what happened told the simple truth of the event. Life became very frightening after that as the bully turned on him and constantly threatened him. He began missing school frequently until he was staying home full-time out of fear of reprisal. He became so anxious he couldn't go anywhere without his father even wanting to be in the same room with him at all times.
After two weeks we shuffled our classes around so that he could be in class with his cousin. His cheerful easy-going cousin became the boy's new security and the family was able to return to their schedule. Every day the children prayed for the boy and his confidence changed. I remember the fear the first time his cousin didn't go to recess with him but the love of the other children prevailed as they stood in the gap. He began to make friends. He began to trust God and those around him. After two months I saw a smile chase across his face. He began to relax and to answer questions and to enjoy school. He loved the school. What a change from when he shouted in the hallway, "This isn't a real school, how can you say this is a school, this is a church, people come here on Sunday. This is no school".
You would never pick this boy out in a crowd. If I told you who he was you would not believe me. He was a handsome tall confident leader who was settled in the Lord and in himself. His family did not medicate him in his great anxiety. They refused to do that. He did not fall victim to Satan. No he was victorious in Jesus. And in all that time not one child little or big ever said anything about him crying so piteously; not one mocked him, they all prayed and treated him kindly.
The Word of God says that love never fails and it surely didn't fail for this young man. He was targeted for telling the truth and the environment he was in allowed the bullying to continue. He was not safe and he knew that. All things work together for those that love God and are the called according to His purpose. We were all blessed by this new student and the blessing included him.