Yesterday as we were leaving swimming lessons at the YMCA, there was a man with deformed legs and crutches coming out of the family changing area as we were going in. I held the kids to the side and let him pass through the door in front of us.
The kids could not stop staring. They were not shy about it either. In front of this man, Levi asked me what is crutches were for. I told him that the man needed help walking and that is what crutches are for. Luckily the man was out of earshot when Levi asked me his next question. He asked me why his legs were like that (deformed). I told him his legs were like that because God made him that way.
Levi then replied to me. "Well, if God ever made my legs like that, I would be really mad at him."
Later that night, after the kids were in bed, I told Josh the story. And here is where we disagree.
Josh did not think that it was appropriate to tell Levi that God made the mans legs deformed. He thought that it would send a message to Levi that God is randomly choosing people to be hurt, or different, or deformed. He instead thought I should tell him that the man was born that way.
In my defence, at the time I thought it was the perfect way and time to teach Levi that no matter what we look like, we were all made in the image and likeness of God. And even though we look different, or deformed, God loves us. I was hoping that it would be a way to teach respect for humanity.
I can totally see Josh's point. I think Levi took it the way Josh suggested too. Now I just have to figure out what to say the next time we see somebody in a similar state.
2 comments:
Similar disagreement at my house. Megan's fish died, and I told her it went to heaven to be with Jesus, figuring it would be a comfort. Dn. John thinks I'm encouraging heresy. The best part was at the Dormition Liturgy, I was explaining to Megan that this was the day the Theotokos went to heave too. She shouts out, "She's with my fish!" Then thought for a minute, and told me with a giant grin on her face, "Mommy, some day Marina is going to die and go live in heaven too!" ACK!
It's hard to be prepared for what kid's ask. It's not too late to bring it up again with Levi and have a good heart to heart, i'm sure he has more questions.
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