STUFF YOU MAY NOT HAVE LEARNED IN MIDDLE SCHOOL: THE SHORTEST ENGLISH WORD CONTAINING THE LETTERS A, B, C, D, E, ANDF ISFEEDBACK.
Every middle school has a loner or two or 10. You see them every day, all over your school. They quietly roam the halls, sit in classes, eat their lunches, and walk home from school. Chances are you’ve felt like the loner at some point yourself. There’s probably no worse feeling than feeling alone and having no one to hang with, talk to, or share life with.
As Christians, Jesus wants us to reach out to the loner, like the way Jesus reached out and befriended Zacchaeus (a very cool story in Luke, chapter 19). Inviting yourself over to the loner’s house for dinner (like Jesus did) may not be the best idea, but we do believe there are some other ways you can reach out to the loner at your school:
Say hello. Yep, it can be that simple! Sometimes saying just a simple “hi” and showing you know he exists can mean a ton in the life of someone who’s alone.
Ask a simple question or two. Questions like, “What’s your name?” “Xbox or PlayStation?” or “What class are you headed to next?” are examples of some easy questions you can ask. There’s a chance he might not want to talk to you, but most of the time he does. A simple question can make the loner’s day.
Share your lunch. We’re not suggesting you give up half your delicious PB & J sandwich or a piece of your orange; give up 15 minutes of your lunch break to sit and eat with somebody who’s all alone. This sounds scary, but give it a shot!
Follow up. Don’t make it a one-time thing. The next time you come across the loner, follow up with another “hello” or ask a simple question.
Sometimes a person who’s alone won’t respond the way you think he should. That may be because he actually likes being a loner and finds more joy going through the day on his own. But most of the time, if you reach out to somebody who seems to be a loner, he’ll appreciate the effort.