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During the first month of 2025, I pondered the word "perspective." Perspective means "having a particular attitude toward or way of regarding something; a point of view." After reading this definition, I thought about what makes a person see things from a certain point of view.
Here's what I came up with. People base their points of view on their experiences, influences in their lives, and their worldviews.
You may be asking yourself, "Where are the updates about the kids?" Stick with me, the updates are coming.
Sometimes, points of view come from assumptions, as well. People make assumptions about people by the way they look, the clothes they wear, and how they behave, along with many other things. Perspectives many times are flawed.
I have seen firsthand how people have had an incorrect perspective of our kids at RHK. Some years ago, we were at a camp, and there were two young kids who walked past our kids when one turned to the other and said, "Ignore them; they are ghetto." Thankfully, my girls did not hear them. But I did not let this go. I stopped the kids and let them know their perspective was off. Those were my girls, and God loved them. I also suggested they check their hearts.
But why was their perspective like this? What had they seen? What had they been told? Or was it the media that showed people who look like my girls in a bad light?
It is the same for our kids at RHK. They have a flawed perspective on law enforcement, school, and authority. Many see law enforcement as people who want to ruin their lives and treat them unfairly because they have seen loved ones put in jail for wrong behavior. Authority has a negative connotation because they must fight for themselves. They must fight to survive. Sometimes, they need to be the adult in their family.
Someone told me they felt the only way to gauge success at RHK was by seeing how many kids attend college. This is a flawed perspective. Many of our kids fight to stay awake in school because they did not have a good night's sleep due to the fighting, parties in their building (sometimes in their own homes), or worse yet, gunshots right outside. Or they cannot concentrate because they are hungry, and their last food was from their take-home bag from RHK.
No, success at RHK is when a child comes and hears, sees, and feels the love of Christ.
Last month, I talked about "Jesus 365." At RHK, we want to see Jesus 365; instead of leaning on our biases or unfounded perspectives, how about we look at people through God's eyes?
Genesis 1:27 states, "So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female He created them." Since people are made in God's image, they have worth. Every person has value regardless of their background, circumstances, or behavior.
It breaks my heart to hear some of our kids discuss how they are hated and called "monsters" and "hood rats." That is not who they are. They are children of God.
Please consider becoming a prayer partner with RHK, praying for the kids, volunteers, and the staff. Contact Melanie at melanie@rockhousekids.org to sign up, or call her at 815-962-5067.
If you have a few hours a week, we would love to talk with you about becoming a volunteer to come and encourage the kids, show them love, and help them see their worth.
My challenge to you this year is to start looking at others through the eyes of Christ. Assume the best in people. If we all do this, can you imagine what an impact we can make in our neighborhoods, community, and world? Let's do it - together!
Blessings,
Dee Lacny, Executive Director, Rock House Kids
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