Stop Scaring the Children

As a parent, you learn there are many fears that your children may have in life. The fear of thunderstorms. The fear of monsters under the bed. The fear of losing someone close to them. The fear of bullies.

Add a new fear: the fear of a president.

Today, my 8 year old son as waiting in carpool. When I drove up, I could tell he was not happy. Upon entering my car, he told me what a bad day it had been. "Was someone mean to you?" I asked. He didn't want to voice his fear aloud. I don't blame him--voicing it makes it real.

My son told me through his tears that he was scared of President Trump because Trump would build a wall and start a war.

My 8 year old is expressing a fear that I never would have ever entertained at 8 or even at 38.

Yet here we are.

President Trump, for the love of God--STOP! You are scaring the children.

Then I saw another scared child. One from this weekend. Apparently standing with her hands
handcuffed behind her back. I know of no child that age that stands with hands behind his or her back. Until I have proof otherwise, this child is in handcuffs. And why? I know any child would be afraid in such a situation.

Children learn a lot from what adults do, especially those adults who are in positions of authority. President Trump, I'm fighting you tooth and nail so my son will not be looking to you as a role model.

Instead, my son will be kind to others. He will not judge someone based on their skin color or their religious beliefs. He will continue to give loving hugs to the people he meets at church and at school. Ironically, if he did not know what Trump looked like and Trump went into our church or school, he would get a hug, too. A fact that breaks my heart. But he knows what you look like, President Trump. And I can say with confidence, that he would run and hide from you.

Every day for the last ten days I have fought for my son's peace of mind against you, President Trump. No action I have seen come from you in the last ten days has been a Christian one. In a world where I teach my son to think about how to be kind to others, you stand in my way because you think of no one but yourself and how you always have to look good.

Well you don't.

You look like a hateful, revenge-seeking dictator who will stop at nothing to divide America and conquer it.

So as I look to my bible, and I read Micah 6:8 from this past Sunday's Old Testament lesson: God has shown you, O Mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.

So I told my son the same thing I did on November 9th when he woke up to the devastating news that you would be our 45th president: he must be kind. He must show kindness to all he meets. Many people will be sad for a long time. Some will also be angry.

But the kindness of one child can defeat you, President Trump.

Don't you know God uses the weak to confound the wise?

My son and others like him who commit themselves to kindness toward others will defeat you. As a Christian, I know how this ends. And I know the secret to living without fear.

In the meantime, you should be ashamed of yourself for scaring the children. Shame on you!