Goes with the Flow

As they say, "what a difference a day makes." Or, in this case, 10 days. There's not a lot more to tell, but Ben has moved past it all. He's, hopefully, a bit tougher, a bit wiser, and none-the-worse-for-wear. We did meet with the family of the "attacker" last Saturday and the high school boy gave a sincere apology. We also had a chance to say some things that we hope made an impression on the young man. Gary was a rock. I greatly appreciated his approach and his presence. We also had our pastor there, who served as a facilitator. We were really glad he came. There have been a few other pieces here and there, and we hope to meet with the school administrators this next week. For now, it feels like a "blip" on the screen. Life is weird that way.
Some of you already know this story, but it fits the subject: When my older brother Maurice, ("Mo" for short....ooh, we have rhyming nicknames!)was in 8th grade, he was being bullied by a neighborhood kid. His dad happened to be a cop. I guess that the kid was hassling him at school, but I was only in the 3rd grade, so I didn't pay that much attention to all the details. Anyway, my dad did what I now see as a wise thing. Dad arranged for Mo and this kid to duke it out in our backyard. I remember that a little crowd gathered. I ran into the house to my bedroom, buried my head under a pillow, and prayed for him. I think I said the Lord's prayer and something like, "God, please don't let my brother die!"
Mo got a black eye, which I think was sort of a trophy, and the kid didn't hassle him anymore.
Isn't that practical? My brother kept his dignity. The other kid realized my brother wasn't a wimp. And, my dad was there to make sure it didn't get out of hand. (I'm sure my prayers had a lot to do with that! ;-) ) An added bonus was that for a few hours, or maybe even a few days, I thought my brother was a hero of some sort.
So, we'll see what happens this week. I'm praying for wisdom and boldness.