I had an interesting discussion with someone I know the other day. We were discussing some of the issues that come up at local schools, the problem children, their parents, violence, crime and all of that. I'd been reading some information that has indicated that researchers have found that antisocial behaviour and those sort of tendencies are coming through from age 3. The solution would be to intervene in the home, preschool, and school and see if therapy and help then would prevent the children going off the rails later in life. So I said as much, suggesting that parenting courses, equipping schools and teachers, getting families into supportive and proactive system with social workers and other support networks might actually help some people to get a handle on their parenting, to make life changes that would benefit their families... and the response I got back was that it wouldn't work. That people don't think they have a problem so it wouldn't help. Why bother.
I got thinking later and while some of that is probably true, I still believe that if you treat people like they are worth something, support them where they are at and help them to carve a life out for their children regardless of where they have come from, then maybe there is the chance that things will change. And maybe not everyone would change, but lets think. Say you support 5 families with parenting support, school stuff etc. One of the families implements the strategies and they turn things around and start changing. They had three children, who go on to have three children each... suddenly you have 12 children who have benefited from that input at an early age. And the cycle is broken and reborn. Support 100 families with the same uptake and you have 20 familes who change... 60 children... 180 children... there is so much potential in even the smallest numbers!
I refuse to think that change isn't possible. I have to believe that there is hope for those children who get sent to school with no food. I have to believe that someone cares enough to do something about it rather than just shake heads and talk about how terrible it is. I have hope that change will happen. And lets not forget the God factor. Maybe people can't change on their own, but throw God in the mix and amazing things can happen. The Spirit of God can be found anywhere and everywhere. We should not be arrogant enough to think that the Spirit only resides within us or within our church building. And rather than shaking our heads at our terrible the world is, we need to move from our comfortable (yeah right) pew/home/situation and start working in the real world and living the gospel. There is a reason why Jesus said "Blessed are the poor..."
