Beyond the Blackboard is a movie about a 24-year-old first-time teacher who overcame her fears and prejudices and makes a difference in the lives of the homeless children she teaches in a shelter’s makeshift classroom. Life was so bad that these kids were abandoned by the society because of the mistakes and lives their parents lived. No teacher agreed to take up teaching them, especially when one is in need of money and the area is situated in a dangerous neighbourhood. But this young lady who is a mother of two took up the courage to carry out this great challenge. She found out that the children were great kids just that their parents were facing challenges of drugs, alcohol, depression, unemployment, etc. and because the children were lacking in love they seem to look as if they a bit rebellious of which they were not.

Some of us may be struggling with the same issue now, seeing your parents go through tough times not because they chose to but fate. Your mom or dad may be a single parent, and he tries as much as he/she can see that food is on the table and along the line gets mixed with the wrong crowd. Instead of the condition becoming better it became worse and it turns out you and your siblings are neglected because your parent comes back late forgetting to get some food to eat. The whole burden falls on you to see that your younger ones are protected and cared for. You lie to your younger ones when they see your mom/dad getting high on drugs or lying drunk on the floor. I must say it breaks a child’s heart. This was the case of Jephthah whose mother was a prostitute and when the time came to share their father’s property his half-brothers chased him away. He ran away and became a leader of a worthless rebel yet his eyes were focused on God because he knew that it was the Lord who has kept him alive and who gives victory to His people (Judges 11: 9 & 11). May I ask you, who are you relying on, man or God? The situation may be tough but that you are alive now means God has a future for you. Our Lord Jesus came to give us life in abundance….. Oh yes! You just don’t want to hear that I believe. Where is He all the while and you are suffering and your parent is on the verge of killing him or herself and am hear telling you that He will surely give you a bright future? I might not be a product of a bad parent or know the pain you are going through but I assure you that God has been watching and following you closely using the situation to draw your attention (Judges 6:13) but because you are so busy focusing on the issue at hand you have not yet lifted your eyes up like David did in Psalm 121:1 – 2. Our help comes from the Lord, for He knows whom to send to you to help you at the point of your need.

Beloved, it’s healthy to get angry with God but dangerous to become bitter towards Him. It’s good to voice out your hurt to Him but dangerous to keep complaining each time. Do you know it hurts God more than you can imagine? God is waiting for you to rise up with the strength He has given you (Judges 15: 14 – 15), stand up against the affliction that has befallen your family. You can only conquer by your faith in Christ Jesus and positive attitude towards your situation. You can use your situation to heal your parent and other younger people who are facing the same situation now or in the future by the positive changes you make today. Your situation has no final say neither does the mistakes or fate that has befallen your parent has the final say. Jesus has the final say and has the answer to all solution as far as I know and guess what He will surely restore the wasted years.