peacemaker

By Julie Wilson

This year, my son has ridden the bus to school, which at times has made me a little apprehensive. When you watch the news and hear about all the bullying and fights that happen on school buses, it makes me nervous. But throughout this school year, he has felt safe and we have had no reason for alarm, until last week. My son left the house last Wednesday at the same time he always does to catch his bus. I got a phone call from him five minutes after he had left. He had forgotten to have me sign his progress report and was in a panic about what to do. He knew that if he showed up at school without me having signed it, he would get automatic detention. As he was on the phone with me a boy on his bus kept trying to yell into his phone. This boy kept getting in my son’s face and just started messing with him.

My son kept telling the boy to stop but he didn’t. So, out of frustration my son pushed the boy to get him out of his face. The boy tripped, fell, and got up extremely mad. He came up swinging and hit my son in the side of his head. The boy kept trying to punch my son, and my son was just trying to block the punches. Earlier I had told him to get off the bus at the next stop and I would come pick him up, sign his report, and then just take him to school. I had no idea all this was happening while he was on the phone with me.

Needless to say, when my son told us about what had happened on the bus we were extremely upset. We talked with him on Thursday morning about what he was going to do on the bus with this kid around. He seemed anxious before heading out the door, so my husband and I prayed with him before he left. My husband talked with him about being a peacemaker and reminded him that that is what Jesus would want him to be. Throughout the day I kept praying for my son and was trying not to worry, but I was extremely nervous about him being back on the bus with that kid on there.

When my son got home from school I immediately started asking questions. He was very calm and relaxed, so I began to lighten up a bit. He said nothing bad happened on the bus that day. When the boy got on the bus that morning, my son went right over to him and apologized for pushing him. He told the boy he was frustrated with him but that he should not have pushed him. He then stuck his hand out for them to shake hands. The boy accepted his apology, shook hands, and then apologized himself for having hit my son. I was so proud of him in that moment. He said, “I just kept thinking I needed to be a peacemaker and so I did what I thought would keep the peace.”

Am I still a little apprehensive about my son riding the bus to school? Yes, of course! But knowing that he is trying to live a life that honors Christ, and live out the message of Matthew 5:9 helps me to be more at peace myself.