What Makes My Kids Cry Today

By Lizzie @ What Makes My Kid Cry Today

Real Life. Real Laughs. Real Jesus.

It started off innocent enough.

2nd oldest:

“Guess how many syllables are in my name? Three. My oldest brother only has two.”

Okay. So far, so good.

But then…

“My brother is a liar… because he has ‘li’ in his name.”

Mic drop.

Logic? Absent.

Compassion? Missing.

Linguistic justice? Swift and brutal.

I stood there blinking, trying to figure out whether I was supposed to correct the syllables… or the theology.

In his mind, “li” = liar, and that was all the evidence he needed to call down a full moral judgment on his sibling.

And honestly? It hit me.

We do this too.

We take small pieces of someone’s story and decide we know their whole truth.

We define people by what we think we see.

We assign shame where we’re called to offer grace.

But Jesus?

He doesn’t name us by our worst moments.

He doesn’t label us by a syllable, a season, or a slip-up.

He calls us beloved. Redeemed. Chosen. Forgiven.

That day, I gently explained to my son that “li” in a name doesn’t mean liar—just like being wrong about someone doesn’t make them unworthy of love.

And later that night, I asked God to help me remember the same thing.

Because even grown-ups need reminders that judgment is easy, but grace is better.

Cry Level: Mild sibling outrage

Mom Reaction: Teachable moment with side of giggles

Faith Takeaway: Let’s stop labeling people by parts of their name—and start loving them like Jesus does.