Kids and Kindness

 For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Galatians 5:14

 

At a recent picnic we attended we met a family who were baffled by their neighbors “kids”. These “kids” are in their twenties.

The two of them were home alone when there was a knock on the door. They didn’t know what to do so they called their mother at work.  She told them they might need to call the police. Apparently, they did not look to see who it was.

The person at the door knocked again, pretty sure someone was inside because she saw the cars in the driveway. No one answered. In fact, they completely ignored her persistent knock. She gave up after a few minutes. (They did not call the police).

This eighty-eight year old woman had to return to the neighbor’s home where she was visiting but had locked herself out. It was early afternoon and her hosts were at work until at least five PM. It was over ninety degrees outside.  She had no cell phone. She had no water or food. She made herself as comfortable as possible on the patio and waited over four hours.

Why would someone not answer the door, especially if they looked out and saw that it was an elderly person? (I have no way of knowing whether or not these “kids” did or did not look to see who was there.)

Fear? Unfamiliarity with the process of someone knocking on their door? Lack of kindness and compassion?  Improper “socialization”? Did they see this lady and think they didn’t want to deal with her, just a matter of not wanting to be inconvenienced?

The Bible is clear on how we are to treat our neighbors. These two “kids” failed miserably! Obviously, they had not been taught to think of others first. In light of these circumstances, we have to wonder if they can think at all.

Proverbs 27:10  says, “Do not forsake your friend and your father’s friend, and do not go to your brother’s house in the day of your calamity. Better is a neighbor who is near than a brother who is far away.”

In our age of social media and texting I fear we have a generation of young people being raised not to think about the needs of others. Kindness is seen in the way we respond when someone is physically absent but communicating through technology. Did we respond quickly enough? Were our words communicated with respect?

The point of Proverbs 27:10 is that the neighbor who is close is going to be in a much better position to help us in our time of need than a family member who is far away. It is important to teach younger children who are home alone to know who is at the door before they open it. It is also important to expect more from them as they grow older. They have a God-given responsibility to be kind and willing to assist a neighbor in need, just as we do when we are home and a neighbor in need knocks on the door.

Perhaps these two “kids” should have called the police, they would have known how to help the elderly woman!

As our children age, are we increasing the expectations and responsibilities we place on them so they become responsible adults capable of helping their neighbor in need?