A Tale as old as time...

Tale as old as time…

I asked a group of fifth graders what they liked about school.

One of them just shrugged their shoulders and replied.

“The teachers do too much.”

“What is your definition of doing too much?”

“They be glazing too much.” One of them chimed in.

“What is glazing?” I asked…

“Dick riding, they are always doing that.”

My newly born-again Christian ears couldn’t believe how bravely this child just used that word in front of me. Excuse me, y'all, I just wasn’t expecting it, but I kept my cool and asked, " What is dick riding?

They replied, “They’re always using the student they like's name every time they say something or ask you to do something. They always talk about that student, and when some students do well, they act like they don’t even notice.”

Isn’t that a story that is as old as time?

Cain and Abel, Cain a farmer, and his brother Abel, offered sacrifices to God; God favored Abel's best firstlings offering over Cain’s, sparking a jealousy that led Cain to murder his brother.

That is what came to mind,

I sat back in my chair and looked at most of these children; they agreed with this student.

So, I posed a question,

So, what you’re saying is your teacher pays extra attention to the students who behave, do their work, and do well in class?

They all shook their heads and replied, "Yes."

So, I tell them it’s good that the teacher pays attention to students who do right, and maybe the reason the teacher notices and mentions them more is because those students do well on a regular basis.

They all agreed.

I then tell them that if the students who are not noticed as much tried to do their very best every day, they would get noticed too. Just do well consistently and then be patient because it will take time for the teacher to notice the pattern of them doing well.

The student with the potty mouth comes and sits beside me, agrees with what I’m saying, and then asks to be my helper.

I oblige her, but the rest of the students tell me that she’s the worst. She cusses out the teacher and everything. I look at this baby and ask her if she understands what I have explained to her. She nods her head.

I ask her if today is the first day of her trying her best to do right.

She agrees…

I sat back and pondered what had just happened. I shake my head and just say okay God, I hear you.

There are times when the enemy just creeps up and whispers in my ear, “Look, everyone is getting blessed. You’ve been waiting a long time, and you do this, this, and that, and you are still waiting. They’re not even doing all of that, and they do this, this, and that…”

Now I know that this is the enemy, and my thinking is off, so I go straight to my knees with my questions when I’m weary in the waiting, and God answers. Sometimes I don’t expect to be chin-checked like that, but He posed another question to me,

Are you happy with the way I’m moving, regardless of whether it involves you?

So, there you have it, Jesus and His sweet self, addressed my control issues, envy, and daily efforts. And He used me to speak over some children who needed to hear it, too.

The Word says that your life will testify against you, and you will give an account of every word spoken.

I pray that today is the day that I can embody what I have spoken, because as much as those babies needed it, I needed it, and there is no shame. I thank Him daily for the gift of repentance.

Jealousy and envy, left unchecked, led to murder in a story as old as time.

Check the posture of your hearts while we still have time.