The Bible is full of stories about children and young people. Some of these stories are the most well-known of all: Mary, Joseph, David, Samuel, Esther, etc. Some are lesser known, more obscure, but none the less important: the widow’s son and Elijah, Naaman’s slave girl, Jairus’ daughter, etc. In thinking about some of these stories, I wondered if I could see any parallels in any of their stories with my son James.
James is 16-years-old, autistic, has learning disabilities and epilepsy. There is no mention of any of these in the Bible, although some people healed by Jesus may have experienced epileptic seizures. So where is James in the Bible? Where can we read a story of a Bible character and think, “Yes, that’s a lot like my child?”
I think James can be found in several of the young people of the Bible. As you have a look at the journey I’ve been on to find him there, you might be able to find a child or young person you work with, or are a parent/carer to as well. Some of these comparisons are positive and affirming, some less so, a bit like the life of a young person with additional needs. We start with a hard one:
Joseph: Joseph was bullied. His brothers treated him badly and even thought about killing him before selling him to traders, making him one of the first recorded victims of people trafficking. Children with additional needs are statistically much more likely to be bullied, with at least 60% reported as bullied, although the real numbers could be much higher. There have been occasions at school when James has been bitten, had his hair pulled, and had his communication iPad thrown into the school swimming pool.
But God did not leave Joseph like that. He had plans for Joseph, wonderful plans that would be a blessing to many. While I see James in the hard things that happened to Joseph, I see James in the amazing way that God used Joseph in the future too. What God has already done through James is only the start, there is so much more to come!
David: When Samuel came to town looking for the one that God had told him to anoint, he found Jesse and his sons. Seven of the sons were examined by Samuel but none chosen, until Samuel asked Jesse, “Are these the only sons you have?” “No,” Jesse answered, “My youngest son is taking care of the sheep.” Samuel said “Send for him….” 1 Samuel 16:11
When David arrived, Samuel declared that he was the one God had chosen, and anointed him immediately. David was the least, the youngest, the one sent out to look after the sheep, deemed unworthy, the one initially forgotten when Samuel was looking at Jesse’s sons. So often children and young people with additional needs can be considered the least, unimportant, unworthy, unlikely to be chosen for anything. But that’s not how God works.
Source: Special Needs Parenting- Key Ministry
