“Mom, please don’t make me ride the
bus today!” Matthew pleaded as we rushed around getting ready for the day. My
twelve year old son had become frustrated with the new seating arrangements on
the school bus. He now sits near the back of the bus where there is an abundant
supply of bad language and perverted talk. I had begun picking him up after
school so he wouldn't be subjected to the language, but I insisted he
ride the bus in the mornings so he could stand at the bus stop with the three
grade school children that I had been babysitting.
“Matthew,
just ride the bus THIS week so the kids won’t have to stand out by the highway
alone. I’ll start driving you to school next week.”
“You don’t
understand, mom!” he whined with his head tilted and eyebrows wrinkled, “I can’t
handle all the perverted talk. Please, take me to school today, please…
I’ll do anything!”
Those
pleading words, I’ll do anything, usually get me, and they almost did
this time, but an idea came to me. As hectic as the morning had already been, I
had to slow down long enough to build up Matthew’s faith and trust in God. Our
family had experienced God’s power first-hand on many occasions, but this
particular instance, I wanted my son to experience it for himself. I stopped
what I was doing and grabbed both of Matthew’s hands and looked into his
tear-filled eyes.
“Matt, I
have an idea. Let’s pray and ask God to shut the mouths of those kids that talk
perversion. We’ll pray that there will be peace on the bus today.”
“It won’t
work Mom, you don’t know these kids,” he said, then quickly blurted, “I didn’t
mean God can’t do it, but you just don’t know what these kids are like.”
“Let’s pray,”
I whispered. With his hands held tightly to mine, we both bowed our heads. “Father,
I pray that you show Matthew what kind of a God you are. I ask that you quiet
the mouths of the kids on the bus today and I pray that the perverted language
be silenced. Let a peace come over the bus today so Matt can have a nice
ride to school. I ask you to give him a good day today, in Jesus’ name, amen.”
We dropped
our hands and I noticed a look of disbelief in my son’s eyes as he slowly
turned and walked away. My thoughts quickly went to the scripture that if we
ask anything in His name, he will do it.
“Matt!” I
called after him, “Watch and see what God can do!”
He turned
around and looked at me as I slowly repeated the words, “Watch and see what God
can do!”
He nodded
his head half-heartedly as he walked into his room to get his backpack.
“Lord,” I
silently prayed, “Show Matthew your power!”
That
afternoon, I picked my teen-age daughters up from the high school first, then
we drove to the middle school to get Matt. I had forgotten about our little
prayer earlier that morning until Matthew opened the door of our Suburban and
hopped in next to his sister.
“Hey, Matt,”
I smiled with anticipation as I turned around to look at him, “How was the bus
ride this morning?”
His eyes lit
up with delight. “You’re not gonna’ believe this!” he exclaimed, “I think all
of the kids on the bus had gotten in trouble right before I got on today.”
“Why’s that?”
I asked, knowingly.
“Because,
the bus was TOTALLY quiet today. Not one person said a word the whole ride to
school! Can you believe that, Mom?” he said with enthusiasm.
“Oh, I can
believe it!” I smiled, then added, “You don’t suppose that little prayer we
prayed this morning had anything to do with it, do ya’?” I asked while driving
away from the school.
“Yeah,” he
grinned, “I guess it did.”
“Thank you,
Lord,” I prayed silently as my three children began talking about the day’s
events.
As always, go with God and God will go with you!
Until next time,
Debbie Davis
One Blessed Chicky
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