While at the nail salon yesterday my family saw on the news that there had been an attack at our local mall. We were, of course, intrigued. As it turns out, the attack did not happen IN the mall, but rather, in the mall parking lot.
Two women, while fighting over a parking spot, came to blows. In the end, one woman bit a piece of the other woman’s finger off.
Now I apologize for getting graphic, but imagine my children’s horror. This is why we don’t watch the news.
The girls were, of course, full of questions. I was appalled and disgusted.
G: “Mommy, why did the woman bite the other women’s finger off?”
Me: “Because they are low class…and they don’t know Jesus.”
My go-to response to the kinds of questions my kids ask relating to the meanness of people is: “They don’t know Jesus.” And I believe it to be true. But yesterday, in the moment, I just spit it out: Low Class.
While making dinner I started to feel a little guilty about my “low class” comment. I considered how I would feel saying the same thing about those women to my blog audience.
I confess, I regret my words. But not my feelings.
The truth is, those women acted without dignity, and that is the word I should have used when explaining it to my children. DIGNITY.
I realize this is not my usual “blog lite.” This is the full sugar (or vinegar) version of Clothed with Joy.
Yet, I believe that being clothed with JOY goes hand in hand with being clothed with DIGNITY. It means holding your head up when you have no earthly reason to. It means knowing you are loved and valued by the Creator of all things and that seeking worldly validation, in the form of your “right” to a parking spot or any other way, no longer matters.
There is Freedom when you no longer need to fight for yourself because there is One who fights for you. And with the Freedom, there is JOY.
Now that I’ve written this I discover there should be an amendment to the prayers I pray for my daughters.
Lord, clothe my girls with strength and dignity.
Linking up with #TheLoft!
Clothed with Joy 
[…] This post could step on some toes, but I’m just going to say it – I don’t like foul language. As in, I don’t use it. I think it has a lot to do with what I discussed in my post Dignity. […]
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You speak right to I struggle with so much – choosing the right words. I have those spur of the moment, slide right off my tongue responses that I realize (later!) weren’t quite right. Dignity – mine, yours, theirs – comes because we were created by God. How we reflect that dignity is a choice we make – and I admit, I don’t always make good choices there. Thank you for sharing with us at The Loft – great thoughts here!
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My pleasure. It was good for me to go back through some of my old posts to decide what to put up. I enjoyed reading this one again after a while. Thanks for visiting.
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Oh how many times I have had to re-visit my words, realizing the one I chose was less than best…and often, just plain bad. Dignity. I do love the word. It evokes such regalness. I love that Jesus always gave dignity to others…especially those who were less-than, like women and the outcast. Thanks for sharing this post at #theloft and encouraging me to consider, yet again, my words.
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Yep. I’ve done some re-visiting, too. Last week I said something to my son which sounded harmless, but I knew my heart and needed to apologize. I let the opportunity pass, and was reminded about it during church on Sunday – so I brought it up to him on the way home and apologized. And all is well.
Oh, for DIGNITY to cover my words. Always!
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We all have those moments when we slip up!! We seek redemption and move on!! You are so right about being clothed with dignity and joy!!!! Can’t wait to read more posts!!!
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As moms, there are those times that you answer child questions with words you would rather not used but the thought is real. I often wish I could use a 10 second rewind/rephrase button when I explain things.
Thanks for sharing!
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Those are some good words! I like how you thought through what you said, and I think I will start teaching my kids about the word and concept of “dignity” too as we discuss news stories. Very nice to have this post on The Loft this week.
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Thank you for dtopping by.
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