Encouraging speech travels from the woman to the small child, "Many times people think we are ignorant because we choose not to live like others. But we know what life is about if we understand our inheritance."
The small child asks, "What is ignorant?"
The Mom laughs, "Most children your age would rather ask what inheritance is."
The child stops, drops his bundle, and pulls back his head covering, catching a slight breeze and revealing a smile, "I know what inheritance is."
The Mom stops and drops her bundle also, explaining, "Well, ignorant means having lack of knowledge in a particular area. You can be ignorant in one area, yet have much knowledge in another. Ignorance is not necessarily a bad thing. It can be a help to be ignorant to the ways of the world. But sadly, the ways of the world are mostly ignorant to the inheritance that could be theirs ---through Jesus."
The small boy scratches the top of his head, "I know about Jesus, but I think I'm still ignorant about ignorant."
The small boy picks up his bundle again. A much older boy comes into view, carrying a much heavier load, "Let me take your burden, little brother. Seems like you already have a heavy load to carry ---on your mind."
The older brother grabs his young brother's bundle, "I don't really understand it either, Mom. Isn't it sometimes good to have knowledge of the ways of the world?"
The Mom wants to test the older son's understanding, "How do you mean?"
The older son explains, "Well, if you know of something bad, then maybe you can help stop the bad thing."
The Mom answers simply, "That is true."
The younger son looks up to Mom in confusion, "Then why didn't we stop the bad things from happening?"
The Mom attempts to talk on both of their levels, "It's like the story book about the 'bully'. He needs extra special prayer because as bad as he seems, what he really needs is to take to heart the story of Jesus. But if the bully begins doing some really bad things, we try to stop it. We've created a sort of dilemma here. Are we to say that prayer alone isn't enough? In some circumstances it seems we need to try to put action to our prayer."
The older son asks, "How do we know when to pray and when to take action?"
The Mom sighs, "Yes, that's a difficult one. It's kind of like the serenity prayer: To change the things we can, to accept that which we cannot change, and the wisdom to know the difference. But we can always pray."
She takes another deep breath, "The sad part is when someone like your younger brother has to witness all this. It is so tragic when young children have to witness the horrors of war, and the oppression it brings. And it is usually the result of wealth and the governments that cater to it. Children who grow up with war and oppression, often eventually adopt the anger, hate, and ideals of those around them. They don't often learn the pathway to peace, but instead travel the nightmarish path of their past experiences and upbringing."
The Mom pats her youngest son on the top of his head and ruffles up his already ruffled hair, "You give your precious mind a little rest, I'm going to test your older brother's thinking."
The older son laughs, "Remember, I'm not supposed to look at it as a test. I'm supposed to welcome the opportunity for more creative thinking."
The Mom laughs too, "Sorry, you're right. Let me encourage you along. You're a well-educated young man, I ask you, what businesses have grossed the largest amount of income last year?"
The oldest son answers, "Illegal businesses?"
The Mom clarifies, "Correct. So, the top businesses in the nation we've just fled …are actually illegal businesses, which makes it terribly nonproductive for a nation's health and economy. Yet there are legal businesses which are all too similar to that ---selling out to other nations whose governments' primary concern is not the welfare of their people. It can be said that the way those people are treated is inhumane, actually criminal …and that would lead one to believe that any nation associated economically with those nations are one in the same …as they are a party to it."
He is confused, "Why did we leave our country? Why didn't we just stay and fight for what we believe in?"
She is pleased to have her son's undivided attention, "I don't believe we abandoned our country …they abandoned us. But, here's my question to you: If your neighbor was one of the biggest drug dealers and you had word that a huge drug deal was going to take place next door, would you report it?"
The son adjusts the bundle on his shoulder, standing more upright, "Well, yes!"
The Mom adds, "But you would hope that they wouldn't just stroll next door, and say that you had informed them of a big drug transaction that is going to happen tomorrow …and ask them if it is true. You would hope they would stake it out and catch them without revealing the source of who had tipped them off."
The older son gives feedback to his understanding, "If they questioned them the day before, then I'd say the drug drop would not take place. And I would probably be a target for having reported it."
The younger son had not given his ears a rest. The small boy tries to sound not so small, "But wouldn't you feel good about telling?"
Mom explains, "It's important how and when you tell. If you don't go about it wisely, then they may just find another way. And the other way may be worse."
