Don't judge a teen by the sandals he wears. (original)

I know you have heard the saying, "Never judge a book buy its cover." Well I am going to take this a step further. Never judge a teen by the sandals he wears. Let me try to clarify. I teach 10th grade Sunday school. I think it was the first Sunday of the second year of teaching at my current church when I first got to meet him. I had seen him around but I really did not pay him much attention, until that first Sunday. I guess what made him stand out was that he was 10 minutes late to the 11 o'clock SS class. But then I got a good look at him. Uncombed hair, wrinkled shirt, cut off camo shorts with the strings still hanging off of them, and sandals. AT CHURCH. ON SUNDAY! I am thinking to myself, who in the world is this kid. So I started watching him. Over the next few weeks I noticed this guy was friends with everyone. I also noticed he was always late to my class. But the thing I noticed most was this guy LOVES the Lord! It wasn't the big things he did, it was the small things. I saw him many times thank God for his food. So what, you say, all kids that go to church do that. He did this when people were not around, when no one was watching. He respected his mom and dad. I noticed that he would always take time with guys who were smaller than he was or with people who no one else would even give the time of day to. Even if it was just to say hello or a high five. I really started to get to know this kid and I liked him, a lot. He and I had a lot in common, you see, I have a secret. I too was a tardy-church-goer-type-person. Of course I have had an excuse, it was my wife's fault. So we started having a little contest between the two of us. We would get a point for whichever one of us got to church first. I think this is where my reputation with the parents was started. You see people were already talking about me being a big kid. They were right of course, but a deacon has another type of reputation to uphold too. There is another story of why people were saying I was a big kid but I will save that for later. Back to the story, after about six weeks into our little contest, I think we were tied. We had both beaten other person three times each. On the seventh Sunday we were both late, we both walked into the narthex of our church through different doors. We saw each other at the same time, we stopped, looked at each other then at the door to the sanctuary, then back at each other, then back at the door. That's when it happened, we both took off for the door, not running but at a face-paced walk. Of course we walked, I know I am not the only person who has been yelled at for running in church! I beat him by a half a step, I put my foot in just in front of him. I BEAT HIM, HAHA HAHA. I BEAT HIM. That is what I was screaming in my mind as I was giving him the In-Your-Face stare of shame. But my victory was short lived, just as I turned around to go into the sanctuary there stood one of those parents who I was trying to keep my true identity hidden from. Well, it confirmed her suspicions and she told me so. "You are the biggest kid I have ever seen," was her only words. I don't know if she was kidding or if she was serious because she never smiled. Oh well. Anyway, that teen turned out to be one of my favorite students. Sandals, cut off shorts and all.

I learned a valuable lesson that year, always give these kids a chance. Do not judge them before you get to know them. I think you will be pleasantly surprised and get a blessing from God too.

God bless,

Joe

Don't judge a teen by the sandals he wears. (original)