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PRAYER FOR THE WEEK
Jesus, help me learn positive things from the times when I feel embarrassed! Amen.

"A man had two sons," Jesus said. "He gave them some money. One stayed home, but the other ran away and spent it all. He got so poor, he fed pigs to live. Finally, he went home. 'Father, I've sinned,' the boy said. 'Don't call me your son.' But the father wouldn't listen: 'Let's have a party!' he cried. The good son was angry. His father said, 'You know I love you, but we had to celebrate. Your brother was lost, and now he's found!'"

No one likes to feel embarrassed. People sometimes get embarrassed when they think they look silly: when they're clumsy or when they don't understand something they think they should know. Kids can feel embarrassed when friendly jokes turn into mean teasing.

The key to dealing with embarrassment is how you react. This week's Gospel (Luke 15:1-32) is about a situation like that.

In the story, the younger son is embarrassed because he wasted all the money his father gave him. He spent it on things he didn't need and made himself poor for no reason, and he can't believe he did that.

When you're embarrassed about something you did wrong, it's a good idea to do what the younger son did: Own up to it. Admit you're embarrassed and talk about what you can do differently. The younger son got a great response from his father when he did that.

The older son in the story is also embarrassed, but for no good reason. He thinks he was mistaken in trusting his father, because the dad is making a bigger deal over his lost brother than him.

There are times that you're embarrassed when there's no reason to be. If kids are teasing you and go too far, you don't need to believe what they're saying. The father in the story reassured the older son that he was loved and important. You are, too! Don't let anyone take that away from you.

Embarrassment can be hurtful, but it can also be helpful. Use your moments of embarrassment to build a better you![[In-content Ad]]

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