Something about me that some of you may not know, is that I work in a concession stand for a city parks and recreation department. As you can imagine, I see pretty some interesting folks. Men with beer guts or thin as a stick, with a colorful vocabulary, smelling of tobacco, Old Spice deodorant, sweat, or a combination of all three. Women with a horde of kids, wearing a t-shirt with their kids name on the back, big glasses and hair just as large

(I am by no means making fun of parents with athletic children, and these are NOT the only type of people at the park. Some are much worse).

I am never surprised when someone comes to the window of the concessions stand. I have learned to be prepared for anything. What could be more interesting than the parents though?

Their kids.

Now, a post about kids is a little surprising coming from me. I have said many times in the past that I do not like kids. They are loud. They smell. They excrete bodily fluids and other things that make me gag. They are needy. They don't understand complex ideas, and I'm not very good at simplifying complex ideas. My dislike of children has even led to me turning down jobs, assignments, or certain tasks, just so that I don't have to interact with them.

But, working at a concession stand puts me in contact with a lot of kids. Nothing quite like a seven-year old sticking their head through the window and demanding to know how much a hot dog costs. Or a kid yelling at me for not having the flavor Airhead they want. Or a kid that asks about everything on the menu, twice. It makes me want to reach through the window, slap the kid, and then slap their parents.

However, not all these children make we want to pull my hair out. There was one little girl once, all of maybe 8 years old, with the coke bottle cap glasses and blonde hair, that walked around the ball park all night reading her book. Or the little boy that was playing on one the teams that came up to the window, got as close to me as possible (we are face to face because the window is down low), and said, "Sir. I have $5 and would like some nachos." And then got excited when I told him that nachos were only $3, and that he could get some candy with the money he had left.

As I watch these kids, I just can't help but smile at their innocence. They have no care other than what is happening in that single moment. These children have no idea that in just a short amount of time, life is going to hit them hard. If I could, there are several things hat I would like to tell them.

1). I would first and foremost tell them that Jesus loves them. I would want to make sure they know that there is a Heavenly Father that loves them just as they are, who doesn't look at all the things that they aren't, but at all the things that they have the potential to be. He accepts them and welcomes them regardless of how they look, how athletic they are, or anything of the sorts. He only cares about their heart. I would say that He loves them so much, that he even has a plan for them, and has taken the time to craft every single one of their lives into one of joy.

2). The second thing is that they should always be welcoming and loving to everyone. Never should they treat someone different because they may not dress like them, or talk like them, or be interested in the same things as them. I would tell them that God created everyone to be a part of His kingdom, and that no one is exempt from that status.

3). I would tell them that life is going to be hard. Sometimes you aren't going to get what you want, and you aren't always going to be happy. Bad things will happen to you, and at times you will feel alone. I would let them know that although they might feel that way, there are people that love them. At the time they may not realize it, but there is someone (other than God because I have already mentioned Him) that loves who they are.

4). The fourth thing I would let them know is that they should always be who they are. If they don't like sports, take up art. If they don't like art, take up music. So on and so forth. Just because they may not be doing what is "popular," doesn't mean that it is wrong. I would let them know it is okay to be what God created them to be. Whether it's a bookworm, a stage performer, or just a good, kindhearted person, always be it, and be it to the best of their abilities.

This message is also for the parents. Let your kids be what THEY want to be, not what YOU want them to be.

Now, I'm not a parent so it's not like I have much experience to speak from. But I wholeheartedly believe that these kids are worth so much more, and they need to know it. These kids are little humans with little human needs that aren't much different from our big human needs. They need love, appreciation, and openness. They need guidance, wisdom, and clarity. These kids are beautiful creations of God just like you and me. It's time for us to treat them as such. Maybe in the process, we can learn to treat ourselves the same.