Thursday, June 21, 2012

Heartbreaking. . . .

This speaks for itself. We have our work cut out for us. Makes me grateful for all the people doing youth ministry in our world.

15 comments:

Cory said...

this was filmed within our school district here in Greece, NY. so sad... but such a great opportunity for our students' light to shine in the midst of the darkness. this stuff happens everywhere though. the pressure to fit in is incredibly powerful.

Anonymous said...

I have to wonder how many if any of these stundents/families attended a church. Its really too bad. We went to Rock the Lakes I commented all those teens (and there were alot of them) that we didn't hear a curse word or see any "sagging" (unlike in school)maybe because those kids and their famlies were raised with some "God based" backround. The only good thing about this is that it's a visual of bullying and will open many conversations with our youth.STEP UP DON"T ALLOW BULLYING OF ANYONE...

Mary Beth said...

I don't think I can watch.

Anonymous said...

I'm glad the boy put his face on there so his parents and grandparents can see what he does.

Anonymous said...

My first thought is"put me on that bus" but... so true to scripture: "In my mother's womb i was conceived in sin:. While shocking,not unexpected,considering the state of an unsaved child's unregenerate heart. Yes, thank God !! for youth workers, our work is only beginning.

Anonymous said...

I am disgusted by the arrogance of these children who have contributed NOTHING to the world around them, who have had everything handed to them in their whole life yet consider themselves so superior to this woman. They are little Nazis. I suppose I could get spiritual and say this is how we thumb our nose at Jesus and his gifts to us as well, but really I'm just so mad I want to wring their necks. I think I'm really disturbed because, as Cory said, I'm sure this happens everywhere. What fools we are raising. In the book "That's My Teenage Son" Rick Johnson says "The standard that women will hold men to - high or low - is the one to which men will aspire." He points out that it is reported that during the civil war women would hiss publicly at men who avoided military duty. Come on girls - get serious about holding the boys to the highest level of respect and dignity. You see boys acting like this - you walk by and hiss at them.

Cory said...

our response to our teens on this is a challenge to love and forgive the teens on the bus involved in this. we can use it to talk about the power of words, or of peer pressure, or the need for respect, etc. etc. etc. but culture is already beating that drum. even unchurched families in our district are using this video to communicate that message to their kids.
what's NOT being talked about is this as an opportunity to forgive. i want our church and student minsitry to be a place where even the teens responsible for this feel welcome and accepted. all of us have ugliness in our past, their's just got caught on video.

Anonymous said...

What need for the Gospel. My prayer is not that someone has the courage to stand up to them, but that someone has the courage to bring the reality of the Gospel into their lives. How can we be mad at those who do not understand? They can not see that they are children of wrath, who are sinful by nature. I pray that Christ will make himself known to those boys and redeem them.

Walt Mueller said...

It's amazing to see how this story is raising awareness regarding just how bad bullying and the lack of civility has become. On another note, I saw last night that over $400,000 has been donated through social media to send this dear woman on a vacation. I'm thinking about riding a middle school bus as a fundraiser for CPYU!

square peg believer said...

I can't even bear to watch this. How very sad. I appreciated the post that "Put me on that bus," because I know we are all capable of unkindness and cruelty. Praying that each kid (and the monitor) have people in their lives who can share God's love and grace!

Anonymous said...

Walt,

I think of my late paternal grandmother, Willa Mae Bobo, when I see this video. I adored her. To think that someone would or could treat her so rudely and disrepectfully as this dear grandmother in this video makes me weep and angry. Was there not one righteous teenager to stand up for righteous sake on this bus? I do hope instances like this are rare in America. Lord Jesus, help us!
Luke Bobo

Anonymous said...

Of course, you're right. Forgiveness is the key. My gut reaction of anger at their inhumanity and arrogance is not wrong, but should quickly turn to how does the gospel matter here? And, without recognition of our brokenness, what need do we have for the gospel? I will pray that they believe they are depraved and wonder "why would I do this hateful thing"? And that a believer would be right there to answer their question and give them the assurance of forgiveness and eternal salvation through Jesus Christ.

Anonymous said...

Thank you, thank you, as I continue to ponder this tonight and my own arrogance toward these boys, I was thumbing through my bible and my eyes were drawn to this verse: "here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners - of whom I am the worst. Amen.

Paul Fisher said...

This is heartbreaking and shows sin at one of its ugliest moments! Unfortunately this points to a larger problem with many school districts, how to monitor and control kids on a bus. This woman is powerless to do anything. She can report them, but whatever consequence it will be little to the time to heal her wounds. So...how do schools keep this from happening? The school bus was the hardest place to be growing up for me. This is where much of the bulllying I endured happened. I agree the Gospel needs to be shared and Christ is needed to overcome this darkness, but schools must work on this issue too.

Anonymous said...

I'm reminded in the beginning of Joshua how many times the Lord said "Be strong and courageous...Be very strong and courageous...Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." This is a good word for our kids today. Be strong in the Lord, stand up for what's right. I understand it's a hard world out there but we need to teach our youth that their strength for standing up for justice and being merciful comes from the Lord not the world around them. Can't we, the church, teach our kids to NOT accept this from other kids but to, at possibly personal cost, just like Jesus, stand up for what's right. Be strong and courageous in the Lord.