Yesterday I went out back to the garage to load the car with some things for work. Coming back I heard a kid's voice calling me, "Are you Baylee's dad?"
The voice was coming from the second story of our next door neighbor's building. I hadn't met our new neighbors yet, but this was one of their little boys.
"I am Baylee's dad. My name is Bobby, what's your name?"
"My name is Savario."
He was about 15 feet above me and the wind was blowing, so I couldn't really hear him. "What is it?"
"Savario. S-A-V-A-R-O, oopes, I mean, S-A-V-A-R-I-O"
"Savario. I like that Savario, you have a really cool name."
He answers, "Thanks. My mom calls me Sammy though."
Seemed right to follow that up with, "Well what do YOU want me to call you?"
It was funny, because you could tell he hadn't been asked that before. He looked at me, then tilted his a head a bit while looking up. You know the pose, the "I'm thinking that one over" position.
After a second he looked back at me with a smile and said, "You can call me your buddy."
How could anyone not smile back at that one?
"You bet I will. Buddy."
He grinned ear to ear.
I alway love being around kids, having fun and messing around with them. But this was a good reminder to me that we need to really treat kids kindly and with respect. They fall as much under "love your neighbor as yourself" as those taller than them.
Other kids will learn from us just like our own will, any may they all see the love of Jesus passionately expressed to them.
As I walked away Savario said, "Bye neighbor!"
I waved back and said, "Bye buddy!"
His grin grew even bigger.
Then children were brought to him that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked the people, but Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven." And he laid his hands on them and went away. Matthew 19:13-15
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