What I Love About Zack

Zack is our oldest…I haven’t done my “Things I Love About Zack” yet, not because I didn’t know what to say, but my heart told me to wait. So now I know why, I have a story I’d like to tell you about him, I’ve never been more proud!

On Sunday evening I was driving him to Youth Group and he said, “Mom, I have to tell you something…you’re not going to like what happened, I don’t like it either!” (Uh Oh…don’t you just HATE a conversation that begins like this with one of your kids?) “Someone stole my IPOD at school.”

Ugh…Just 6 months ago, the same thing happened at his middle school…long story, he bears the responsibility for some bad decision making, but no matter what, no one deserves to have their stuff stolen!

He’s pretty sure he knows who did it…Zack’s IPOD was stolen on Thursday and the kid he suspects showed up on Friday with one just like Zack’s. Zack asked to see it, but the kid wouldn’t let him…Zack asked a lot of questions, so I’m sure the boy knew that Zack suspected him…but there was really no way, short of my calling Apple to get the serial number, to know for sure.

So, why didn’t I do that? I didn’t even offer to do that… Well, rumor has it that this young man takes drugs, I don’t know if it’s true or not, I don’t know the boy, but I was just not willing to take the risk. Last week, two kids got into a fight in the cafeteria, a friend of one of the boys came up behind the other boy and slammed his head into the lunch counter and then a window…911 had to be called…I know someone who witnessed it, so it’s not just kids blowing a story out of proportion…

Yea…Zack goes to a really great high school (sarcasm)! It’s really not that bad, you just have to stay away from the troublemakers…but, like any mom who loves her child…I really LIKE him too… I didn’t want Zack doing anything that might send this kid after him…at least, that was my initial reaction…

But as Scott, Zack and I discussed this more…Zack started to tell us more about the boy…he’s an outcast, he spends a lot of time alone…and my heart started to ache for this young man. All of a sudden an IPOD didn’t seem like such a big deal. My concern was what it would do to this child to falsely accuse him…and still for Zack’s safety.

So we suggested that Zack think about 1 Peter 3:9, “Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing…” We started to talk about how he could be a blessing to this boy? I love Zack’s honesty and he talked about how he would feel when he sees the kid with this IPOD… that really probably is his… And we talked about what it means to forgive seventy times seven, as Jesus said to Peter…

So, Zack decided that this boy was more important than his IPOD…he decided that he could try and be a friend to him, at least during the class when he sees him…

So, the next day when I picked up from school, I asked him how it went, did he have an opportunity to be a friend to this kid? And in fact, he did…he played soccer with him that day. I know this story isn’t over…Zack was willing to lay down his rights to his possession in favor of doing what was best for this young man.

Are there times when we fight for justice? Absolutely…but Zack had no real proof, so the damage could have been very great to both of them…and this was an even greater opportunity to shine Christ into a dark situation…I’m so thankful that Zack could see that…that he could look beyond the temporary into eternity!

I am so proud of the young man that Zack is becoming…

I love…

That every day he’s more and more willing to put others before himself…

That he has the confidence to stand for what is right and not give in to what the world thinks…

That he’s not too old to play with the younger kids in our neighborhood…we have 8 year olds ringing our doorbell asking for Zack to come out and play!

That he will carry Abby anywhere she asks…

That he is learning to stand up for Mackenzie…actually giving her advice!

That he commits himself to an endeavor and doesn’t give in…

That he is completely loyal to his friends…

That he willingly chooses time with family over most any other thing…

That he is fun…he makes us laugh…

That he is passionate about what he loves, he pours his all into it…like soccer

That he is learning the meaning of responsibility…of taking initiative…

Zack, it is a blessing and a pleasure to call you son!