This Is Jayden’s World

This is Jayden’s world.

He wakes Monday morning to the sound of his little brother turning on the TV to watch cartoons. In the hallway, his mom is screaming at his older brother.

Jayden grabs the clothes he wore yesterday and the day before and heads to the kitchen. A box of cereal is on the counter along with some sort-of sour milk. He pours himself a bowl. The argument between his mom and brother has escalated into mostly cursing and name-calling. Jayden takes his cereal into the living room to join his cartoon-watching brother. But it is time to leave for school. His mom follows him, grabs his half-emptied bowl of cereal and pushes him out the door.

School is six hours of constantly being told to “sit still, stop talking, do your work.” Jayden doesn’t like to sit still, he likes to talk and he doesn’t understand the work because no adult ever takes the time to help him. He hates school. He figures he’ll never learn how to read well or do math.

After school, life is much better. He and his brothers hang out in the alley by their house. Sometimes his older brother gets a can of beer from their uncle and he lets Jayden have a sip or two. Jayden thinks it tastes gross, but it makes him feel like a big kid to try it.

And so goes the week …

The weekend’s aren’t much different. Except his mom sleeps in real late and she wants the house absolutely quiet and all the shades drawn. Jayden can hardly see when he sneaks through the living room to the computer – which, as usual, is broken. He then heads for the TV. Later in the morning, his dad stops by. He wants Jayden’s mom to give him some money, but she says she doesn’t have any and besides she’s the one raising the kids while he’s out having fun. A big fight erupts. Jayden hears the lamp crash and turns the TV up louder to drown out the noise. His older brother cranks his music and the house shakes. Jayden sings along to the thumping words – something about “some guy killing anyone who touches his woman.”

His dad stomps through the living room.

“Hi Dad,” Jayden says, but his father doesn’t answer. Just slams the door behind him.

All is quiet except for the sobs coming from his mom’s room.

This is Jayden’s world.

But wait … this is Jayden’s world.

Except for two hours each week.

On Wednesday night at 5:45, a church van stops on the corner by Jayden’s house and Jayden and his friends are driven to Awana. Awana is everything Jayden’s world is not – bright lights, bright colors and happy harmonious music. The adults greet him with a smile and ask how his week has been. His leader gives him a sideways hug (the only loving contact he’s had all week) and then begins playing a game with him.

At Awana Jayden hears about God – the Creator of all things. He hears about God sending His Only Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to die for Jayden’s sins (all those things he’s done that are wrong).  He learns that the Lord Jesus loves him and can give him peace.

To Jayden, it all sounds good, but it’s so different from his reality. Is this stuff he’s hearing just for church or is it for everyday?

This is Jayden’s world.

And during that hour and a half at Awana – his world crosses with our world.

That hour and a half are all we have to work with.

We need to focus.

Paul wrote, Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. (Ephesians 5:15-16)

For that time when we’re with the Jaydens in our lives, we need to ask God to give us wisdom to demonstrate His love to these broken children. We need to concentrate on the kids and not on getting the cheesecake recipe from Leader Ann or chatting with Leader Bob about whether the fish are biting up at the lake or complaining about the stress headache we picked up at work.

Vernon McGee (author of Thru the Bible series) says about these verses in Ephesians, “This is another injuction regarding the walk of the believer. He is to walk wisely. His walk is to reveal the urgency of the hour and the importance of living for God.”

We cannot waste time. We cannot become unfocused.

We only have an hour or so each week when …

… our world …

intersects with Jayden’s world.