I watched one of the most disheartening news reports ever earlier this week. Shaniya Nicole Davis, a 5-year old girl from North Carolina, was found dead six days after her mysterious disappearance. My heart went out to her father; he was so devastated by the news that his friends had to hold him up at a candlelight vigil. Even worse, the investigators think her mother allowed her to be taken for sexual servitude. I think the headline from Tuesday’s News and Observer said it best, “Sad end to search for girl.”
At first, I couldn’t imagine a parent exposing his or her child to such inhumane circumstances. Then, I started thinking about how blessed I’ve been. I could have been in a similar situation, but God blessed me with great parents. I’m thankful that He blessed me with parents who made sure I had and pursued the best things in life. Most importantly, I’m thankful that they embraced Proverbs 22:6: “Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it” (New Living Translation). I am what I am largely because of the deposits they made into my life.
I’m not sure if you’ve considered this, but some people don’t have good parents. If your parents have done anything to help you be a great person, then thank God for it. It’s only by His grace that your parents (or guardians) realized that “Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him” (Psalm 127:3, New Living Translation).