I am often reminded of a story I read not too long ago about a boy named Darren ( not the real name) in one of the books I've read. That story of Darren struck my mind and gave a lasting impression a long time ago. You see, Darren was a colossal wreck in terms of behavior, attitude and worst of all, he was a notorious car jacker with a notorious reputation. Mind you , this was a young man who had a nasty reputation of not only being a car thief but one who would knock your socks off if you cross his path. Being a young man, he was a handful for the authorities and every possible counselling, verbal advice and advice avenue option was given to him. These programs were like child's play for a young man like him and soon, he was in and out of such programs. Soon, the police and the authorities gave up on him and was about to let him taste the life in prison for his continuous menace in car thieving when Mr. Jenkins, Home Director of a Christian based home for boys called the police and asked if the Home could to take up the challenge to straighten Darren. Willingly and happily to get rid of this one wreak, they let Mr. Jenkins take the boy home.
For the next few days, Mr. Jenkins had sleepless nights and often question his sanity over bringing Darren back to his Home for Darren created havoc after havoc immediately he was placed in the Home. It was one nightmare after another when Darren came into the Home. There was never a day there wasn't a complaint about Darren. He was the talk of the Home , the town and there were days where the police would show up at the Home to inform Mr.Jenkins of Darren's misdeeds after being given a few hours off over the weekends. You see, Darren would go out during those privilege hours of the week to be with his car jacking group of young boys and they would break into big car and steal whatever they could just to get a few extra bucks. Mr.Jenkins was up to his neck in regards to Darren's behaviour. There was one time while he was passing by Darren's room, Darren was having a saw in his hands and looked like decapitating another boy's head whom he was holding down with his other hands. It was a horrific sight and Mr. Jenkins was out of his wits in handling Darren. Darren became the subject of the conversation in his family time daily. Mr.Jenkins was a devout Christian and with all his patience, he soon realized that even his patience and sanity bordered and dangled on a very thin line. Mr. Jenkins decided that he would invite Darren to his home for dinner with the family and have a chat with him. His 4 year old son, Mark was excited that the family was going to have a guest at their family table.
The next day, the boy followed his father to the Home and as they passed Darren's room, the 4 year old, Mark dashed into the room and gave a hug to Darren who was sitting at the edge of his bed. Stunned and surprised, Darren did not know what to do. Mark, the 4 year old hugged Darren tight at the waist and said this : " Darren, I have heard so much about you. I am so happy to have you for dinner at our home." He then let go of his hug and told Darren, "Here I have a gift for you." He took out something from his pockets and gave a roughly wrapped present to Darren. Darren was stunned by this boy and he soon muttered, " I too have something for you." He reached out in his pockets and pulled out about 15 keys, put them in a small cloth bag and gave it to Mark, the 4 year old.
The following day during one of the privilege hours, a few of Darren's friends came over to the Home and asked Darren to join them for the regular spree of looting cars. Darren told his friends that he can't go with them anymore because all the master keys to the big and expensive cars that he possessed, he had given them to a 4 year old kid. This is a story of a young man whose life was trumped by the love shown by a 4 year old kid!
In our blistering, congealed, difficult, imbalanced and cruel world we live, that is what is wrong with our society and world today. The world and her people needs to be trumped with genuine love, sincerity and the goodness of the heart not condemnation nor legalistic laws of morality. It is no wonder that the Lord gives us just two laws to obey : Love the Lord with all your heart, all your mind and all your soul. The other being, Love your neighbour.~
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