"I want to be respected!"

Last week, one of our awesome team members knelt down and talked with one of the 10-year-old boys who had been in a few fights that day.

Our team member simply told him that he had a choice to make between being respected and being feared by others. They talked about the difference between the two, and our team member told him to think about what he wanted to choose throughout the next week.

As soon as we pulled up to the ministry location this week, and got out of our cars, the 10-year-old boy ran up to the same team member and said, “I want to be respected! I want to be respected!”

He had made his decision.

He went on to tell our team member that he had had the opportunity to be in 6 fights this past week, and he chose not to be in any of them because he wanted to be respected.

They talked and talked about being a leader, and something in the little boy clicked. He started talking about light and darkness, and how we have a choice to make between the two, and how our choices affect others.

This kid is going to change his community. I’m declaring it right now. The Spirit of the Lord is moving in Him, and he is responding with a “YES!”

Here’s the thing: I could have told this child the same thing. But he was so much more receptive to hearing what a really cool, strong man of God had to say about fighting.

We have been praying so much for men of God who have the heart of the Father to come and be a part of our team. People with Papa’s heart, that’s who we want.

Because when men with Papa’s heart come and pour out the love (which sometimes looks like discipline) of Papa’s heart into these boys, they will soon become men of God, too.

Praise the Lord for how He is using our team members, and for the ways He is pouring His goodness out so freely into the lives of these little ones.