“God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you. Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen.” (I Peter 4:10-11 NLT)
Head ups! I’ll tell you in advance. So much for providing you with a short meditation every Monday! But in my defense, I wrote a short one yesterday. Smile! Now listen, please. It’s Black History Month, so the introductory story is timely. According to Bartleby Research, explaining the origin of the saying, “’It takes a village to raise a child,’ that phrase comes from a Nigerian proverb that appears in many different forms in various African languages. The central meaning of the phrase is that bringing up children requires the effort of an entire community.” One Sunday, after church, an older couple went to dinner with their oldest son, his wife, his oldest daughter, and his two young grandchildren. It was at this site that the adage above moved from its origin in the continent of Africa to a popular American café, a well-known franchise.
Everyone at their brunch table had finished eating. Unknown to most of the adults at the table, the four-year old grandson, asked his grandfather if he could go look at the toys. Independent, and exceptionally smart, obedient, and responsible for his age, the toddler heads off alone, with permission to look at the toys. With the exception of his grandfather, only his aunt, noticed him heading off to do some shopping. His intent, I suspect, was obviously to avoid hearing, “We don’t have time to look for toys right now,” when it was time to check out and depart. As he walked toward the merchandise section of the store, some older Black men from at least three tables shouted out from various places in the room of the restaurant where the family members were sitting, “Your little boy is going out by himself. He went that way!” Now at this point, they had not noticed that his grandmother was already out of her seat and going to ensure his safety and supervise his toy selection. The adults at the table thanked the concerned people who raised their voices, as if they were member of “the village.” After doing so, they proceeded to check out at the cashier desk. As a side note, the little boy got to purchase a toy that he found on his shopping venture. The great-grandparents were impressed by his demonstration of independence, but more impressed by the voices of the unrelated grandfathers and fathers whose voices went off like an alarm that could be heard by people at each of the 25 plus tables in their section of the restaurant. Yes, they were exemplifying what it means by that African saying, “It takes a village to raise a child.” This happening reminded the great-grandparents of the old days when news about a child’s mischief got home before he or she did, as some community member or nearby neighbor informed the child’s parents. Were they ratting the child out? No, just being responsible. They felt a sense of duty and their deed was not unappreciated. Those were the days where there were no cell phones, and you were considered really blessed to have a home phone or at least a party-line phone. The saying from Africa about the village’s involvement in raising a child was practiced in days past and that practice pre-empted a lot of behaviors that could have become pretty bad behaviors or bad habits or brought about bad consequences.
Let’s make a connection. There is more than one book and many articles that have the title , “What If?” Looking at the African proverb and the café experience I described, it made me think, “What If” adults in the present time maintained the same village philosophy? “What if” adults would not get angry when other individuals tried to assist in ensuring that children who lived in their “village” were brought up in the fear and admonition of the Lord? “What if” teachers and school officials were recognized as trying to help their students instead of being seen as tyrants by parents when disciplining their children via approved school policy, or discussing better options with them; options that would lead to opportunities and the avoiding of offenses that lead to tragedy? “What if” we take every opportunity we get to share with children in a way to shape their development? “What if” children were trained to be part of “the village” and would assume the role of counseling their peers? Would society be better? Would the morning news by good news? Would the crime rate go down? Would children benefit by being put in the position where they would experience a successful life, realizing that the skies the limit and God blesses obedience? “What if” we took the African proverb and moved it from an utterance to a unified, undying, loving cultural phenomena?
Read the opening and closing verses before you head out today. Be discerning, yet devoted! Use your God-given gift with love! Be careful, but be concerned. Be smart, but be Good Samaritans. Recognize how “the village” can help raise a child, even if it merely means awakening the attention of parents who are charged with training up their children! Pass this long meditation on! Have a great Monday! Have influence when you can! Share the wisdom you have accumulated over the years in an appreciated way! Be blessed!
“Wisdom is with the aged, and understanding in length of days.” (Job 12:12 ESV)
Still committed to the climb,
Mark L. King