As many of you may have noticed, there have not been any stories posted on the blog for quite a few weeks. That was due to the fact that the writer, me, was away on maternity leave. Well I can say it is good to be back and I’m slowly getting into the swing of things.
Now that summer is creeping up on us, the mood begins to change a bit in the classrooms. Most students, after attending the Impact Leadership Academy regularly throughout the school year, become familiar and comfortable with their teachers, classmates and their overall surroundings. It is easy to become so comfortable that they can sometimes lose sight of what is being taught during lesson time. I am sure the leaders often wonder whether or not their students are indeed listening.
I was enjoying time back in the High School girls’ room where they were discussing thoughts brought on by the lesson entitled, “The Open Heart: The gift of mercy and the gift of hospitality”. I would like to briefly focus on the gift of mercy and how, from my perspective, I was able to watch this unfold.
Mrs. Anna (Youth Development director) and Mrs. Mollie (High School Girls classroom teacher) were talking about the verse Matthew 25:40. The girls in class on Sunday were Jessica, Mercedez, and Patty. Each girl was participating in their own way, but from what I could see they were a little distracted by other things, which seemed to be a bit more interesting. For instance, they were doodling on their study guides while the leaders were talking. Matthew 25:40 says,“The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.” Mrs. Mollie went on to share with the girls that she has a rough relationship with her sister, but she still knows it is important to love on her no matter what because that is what God wants. When he sees us doing that it makes him so happy he probably jumps for joy! I was surprised by what happened next. Mercedez, as she was doodling, asked, “So what if you gave me a pen, but I saw a homeless man and bought him a house, would God jump more? Wow, what an awesome question! This led Mrs. Mollie and Mrs. Anna into a deeper discussion of what God wants of us and how He looks at our hearts in a situation like that. Mrs. Anna shared that God is talking about seeing Him in those who we may not always be inclined to help, we need to see His face and serve for Him.
My point in sharing this with you all today is to tell you that Mrs. Anna and Mrs. Mollie displayed patience and mercy in the classroom. They showed the girls, who were having trouble staying tuned in, what God wants of us by not becoming outwardly frustrated. By doing this they were able to attain wonderful conversations and get feedback from the girls.
I am so privileged to watch from the outside, and I learned that even when you think a teenager is not listening they really might be. Be patient and see what God has in store.
