Tim's Topics: Standing Up For Will and Ben! Being Advocates Is O...

Tim's Topics: Standing Up For Will and Ben! Being Advocates Is O...: 1 John 3:16English Standard Version (ESV) 16  By this we know love that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our liv...

Standing Up For Will and Ben! Being Advocates Is Our Spiritual DNA

1 John 3:16English Standard Version (ESV)

¹⁶ By this we know love that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.

Just as Jesus Christ shed his blood out of love for us, we must remember that His blood and His love are sacred. What does that spell out for us that proclaim to be His followers, and His servants?

If some of you do not know, I am the proud father of a young twenty-four year old man named Ben who at the age of four was diagnosed with Autism. My wife and I have been his voice as well as advocates since he was a small child. Whether it was getting him into the right speech therapy program or advocating for him at school as to ensure the correct needs were met for him individually. Yes, we all need advocates, we need those that will stick by our sides and stand up with us and for us, when we are unable to do so for ourselves.

Ben

As I prepared this blog I found a great story on the No Place 4 Hate Web Page: http://www.noplace4hate.org/real-bullying-stories/

Here we see Will, a young man that suffers from Asperger’s Syndrome. Will was being bullied, and it took a young man named Jaden to stand up for Will as to get the bullying to cease.

Will

 Hello. My name is Will. I am 14 year old hiker, runner, and Boy Scout and I was bullied as well. These bullies weren’t as bad as others but they did traumatize me.

I have a disorder called Asperger’s Syndrome. A minor form of Autism. I think differently from others and find it hard to be social. Since first grade. I have always been known as the nerd with his nerdy friends doing nerdy things. I could of been in the cool kid sports group but sports wasn’t really my thing. I loved video games and YouTube. I’ve had 2 very close friends who were twins. Karen, My best friend and Tarik, My 2nd best friend. Ever since I moved to my new school in 3rd grade. We met each other and had a close relationship. Our Semi popular group was made of 6 people. Me, Kaden, Tarik, Chase, Evan, and Dylan. I loved going to school to see them and even better, having the whole gang come over, play Minecraft, and eat pizza all night. But in 6th grade. That all changed. I was going through the change to adulthood and found different interests. I was done with Lego and Minecraft. But the others weren’t. Then one day. The group just wanted to ditch me right up in my face. I was heartbroken I didn’t know what to do. That was just the beginning. The group of 5 started to torment me. They knew about my Asperger’s and used it to their advantage. They always played the same games I played at recess and always target me to get me out and find a way for me to lose. They called me terrible names. Some curse words, some like Little Miss Boy Scout, Jerk, Stupid, and Nerd and so on. They stole my lunch, ran away and chased me, and spread sexual rumors about me. I was driven to the point of insanity and when I got back from school one day I ran to my room and cried like crazy. My only source of friends, gone. I stayed in my room drowning in tears for what seemed like hours. I then decided to go on Minecraft to calm me down. I remember playing On Minecraft when Chase logged on, bragged about a sleepover that I wasn’t invited to, and said it was my fault. I then talked with my Mom she encouraged me to find a new group, with a few kids. My new best friend named Jaden. He stood up to me when I was bullied and defended me. He invited me to play games and when Kaden and his group came to torment me, Jaden told them to screw off. I finally felt good knowing I had a real friend. I am now in 8th grade with new friends who like me for who I am. Kaden and Tarik moved to a different school. Chase tried to bully me in the beginning of 7th grade. But I got him out of the way. He now hangs out with a group of troublemakers. I barely see Evan and Dylan admitted his wrongdoing and we became band partners. Everything worked out great in the end and that is my story.

Beloved, as followers of the Living Christ, who sacrificed himself for us, we must be his living example by producing and living love for others. We must stand up for the weak, we must stand up for the poor, we must stand up for the addicted, and we must stand up for those living is darkness.

As Christians, standing in love for others is just not something that we do, it is a large make up of our spiritual DNA. Theologian Matthew Henry states that Apostles are to shining examples of that love. As modern Apostles, we too must be shining examples in loving and carrying for others.

Is there a Will in your life, is there a Ben in your life? Is there someone being bullied in your life? The time is now to go to their aid in and through the love of Jesus Christ.  Let us pledge this very moment to lay down the very best of ourselves to those that are oppressed and bullied for their differences. 

Let us understand that all have been made in the image of God, and that God does not make junk, every person is a high quality production that has been given traits and tendencies as to bless the world and make it a better place.

This is the day that the Lord has made.

Pastor Tim.