"God Knows Best"

Our Father knows what's best for us, So why should we complain ... We always want the sunshine, But He knows there must be rain.

We love the sound of laughter And the merriment of cheer; But our hearts would lose their tenderness If we never shed a tear.

Our Father tests us often With suffering and with sorrow; He tests us, not to punish us, But to help us meet "tomorrow."

For growing trees are strengthened When they withstand the storm; And the sharp cut of the chisel Gives the marble grace and form.

God never hurts us needlessly, And He never wastes our pain; For every loss He sends to us Is followed by rich gain.

And when we count the blessings That God has so freely sent; We will find no cause for murmuring And no time to lament.

For Our Father loves His children, And to Him all things are plain; So He never sends us "pleasure" When the "soul's deep need is pain."

So whenever we are troubled, And when everything goes wrong, It is just God working in us To make "our spirits strong."

THiRTY PiECES OF SiLVER

I cringe every time I think of how Jesus was traded for 30 pieces of silver. That was all it took to hand Him over to the chief priests. Judas Iscariot gave up his love for Christ for a pouch full of money. I cringe even more when I realize that as struggling and sinful Christians, we all play Judas Iscariot. We have all “traded” Jesus for this world’s version of 30 pieces of silver.
Each time we fall into sin, we trade our love for Jesus for something else.
Harboring anger and resentment towards another person. Lying to save face.
Not going to Mass because of laziness.
Choosing money over kindness and righteousness.
Each time we choose not to do the loving thing.
We all have our versions of 30 pieces of silver.
I pray that no amount of silver, or its many varied, deceitful versions, will keep our eyes and hearts away from the real treasure – Jesus.

Map

It was my first day at school. I felt nervous and scared.
I went to all my classes with no friends. It felt like no one cared.
I listened anxiously to all the lessons and waited for lunchbreak at one. Then finally the bell rang. It was time to talk and have fun.

In the lunchline I met a new friend who wore a hijab on her head, and though I am Jewish, we got along fine, and I was so relieved when she said, "Sit with us, at our table." She pointed to the one next to the door.

So I agreed, and took my tray and was about to walk with her across the floor, when suddenly I felt a nudge. "Hey, I saw you on the bus," said a tall girl in a long skirt. "I see your Jewish star necklace. You should sit with us."

At that moment I looked around, and that's when I noticed, to my surprise, The nations of the world, isolating themselves. That's what I saw through my own eyes.

The Spanish only sat with Spanish, the Hindus only with Hindus,
The Russians always with the Russians, and never the Arabs with the Jews.

I saw the reason why war gets started. Everyone sticks to their own kind. The lunchroom was a map of the world. Why was everyone so blind?

And so I turned down this girl, and went with the first, and there was no enmity. I built a bridge between two worlds when I sat with those different from me.

Sharon wrote this when she was 16 and in the 11th grade. Her goal is to become a international diplomat and peace-maker.