“You Jew,” the one teen said.
“Don’t say that. You know what Mrs. B said.”
The conversation had me curious. What did Mrs. B say to her students? I happened to be substitute teaching at our local public high school one day when I overheard this conversation. So I asked: what did Mrs. B say? I was told that the students were not to call each other ‘Jew.’ My next response was, “Why would you call anyone a Jew?”
“Because it’s a bad name,” came the answer. Since then, I have taken any opportunity that comes my way to ask students what they know about these people called Jews; and I’ve been shocked to find out that they know very little, AND what they do know is all negative!
One student told me that Jews were poor people, sort of like hobos. Another said that they were bad people! Where are they learning this?
As a fifth grade chorus sang a beautiful song in Hebrew, I again started to question them. As I mentioned the Holocaust, I was shocked to find out that only one girl knew anything about it! When I asked why people would want to kill the Jews, one girl raised her hand and said, “My Dad said it’s because they killed someone.” As I continued to question her, she wouldn’t say who they killed; and unfortunately, it wasn’t until I was thrashing it out in my mind on the way home that I realized that she was probably referring to Jesus, but was afraid to say it!
As a child, I was also negative against the Jewish people. Why? Because I was told that they killed Jesus. Did they? No, my friend – each of us drove those nails into His hands because of our sin. Yes, the Jewish nation rejected Jesus and, for the most part, are still rejecting Him; but we cannot blame them for Jesus’ crucifixion.
As Twelve Smooth Stones began to take shape, I realized how much I love the Jewish people. My heart aches for them and their blinded eyes. Perhaps my greatest desire for Twelve Smooth Stones is that someone, Jewish or Gentile, will read it and relate to Esther’s struggle to find the truth and find it themselves.
If you haven’t checked it out yet, I’d be honored to have you read it and share your thoughts. You will find it at Kirkdale Press.
And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. John 8:32
