Who's Influencing Whom?

I learn so much from my kids. Daily.
I wonder if God gave me my kids for me to influence them?
Or more likely for their influence on me! :)

My oldest daughter is involved in a local play and came home upset yesterday. Seems that there was a mother who came in to pick up her child after play practice and decided to single out a boy who was only *part* of a group of children acting less than perfectly. Not this mother's child. Someone else's.

So why was my daughter upset? She hadn't been misbehaving. It wasn't her problem. She barely knew the child being singled out.

She was upset because of the harsh way that the mother chastised this young boy in front of everyone. She was upset because he was a part of the group misbehaving and the mother treated him as if he were the *only* one. She was upset because the mother had no business even saying anything since she was only there to pick up her child. She was upset at the behavior of the adult towards the child. She was upset at the injustice done to another. Her heart broke for the boy who was singled out unfairly.

For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them.
And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same.
Luke 6:32-33

But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?
My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.
1 John 3:17-18

May God continue to use my children to remind me that our hearts should break for others' sufferings.