Transparency

 

Matthew 7:1-3 NIV

“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?

Proverbs 14:29 NIV

Whoever is patient has great understanding, but one who is quick-tempered displays folly.

Today I found myself on the short end of the stick.  When I examined my heart and actions I found folly.  Sure, their are a lot of excuses I could make, but I am held accountable to God.  I don't know if the story of an event that transpired during my day will help anyone else, I only feel the urging of the Spirit telling me to be transparent.  So I pray that God gets the glory.

I am a teacher.  I teach high school students and I am always trying to stay one step ahead.  I am pretty meticulous in the planning of my ( their) days so that things will run smoothly in the classroom.  I had posted an assignment that was to be done after I had reviewed the notes for the day in our virtual system.  I was feeling good, but then the ding comes. The ding alerts me that when an assignment has been completed.  At first I think its a student making up a missed assignment, but it was not.  It was a student that had went ahead and did an assignment in advance.  

So the word says to not judge(Matthew 7:1).  The word says to be patient an not quick tempered (Proverbs 14:29).  Well in full transparency I did not follow the word today.  I was not obedient to my Lord and Savior.  I jumped to all types of conclusions and I was irritated.  "How dare a student go before me and mess up my plans."  "This students just wants to come to class and sleep and say they have already done the work."  These are the conclusions I jumped to.  And in that corrupt sprit I wanted to prove who was boss.

What I should have done was pause and figure out why the student went ahead.  Maybe they wanted to stay on top of their work.  Maybe they were eager to learn and show me that they were invested in the class.  Or maybe, as was the case, they did not have a laptop so they were using a teachers laptop to complete the assignment.   I found this out when I told the student that they had to re-do the assignment( I had messed up on the initial sequence of work and had to re-do it.)The student asked if they could go to another classroom to do it since they did not have a computer. The student did not get angry or complain.  They just wanted to get the work done. Egg all over my face.  Water dumped right on top of my head.  Conviction swift.

While the student never knew I wanted to prove who was boss, my actions could have head devastating consequences.  I could have made that student a combatant instead of a cooperative student. More importantly I could have blemished my witness for Christ.  I was reminded today that I am a teacher and to whom God gives much, He expects much. My standards are higher and I have the power to show grace and mercy in the midst of my students day.  I also learned to be slow to anger and to judge not.  I do not need to become jaded by educational system, but let the love of Christ flow through me to it.  I need to do better and can do better.

I have set my plans in motion for next week.  The assignments are unpublished until I want them to be seen, but I am also counting on grace.

Lord, my heart was ugly today.  I confess my sin and thank You for Your blood that cleanses me and forgives me.  Help me to learn from my mistakes and to be slow to anger.  Give me Your wisdom to see my students and do my job.  Help me not judge, but to examine my own heart and take care of it.  I love You Lord. In Jesus name.  Amen