Friday, January 22, 2010

A lesson in patience

This morning I started out with a “full basket” of patience. As I went through my day today, it was quickly depleted by students a) asking me questions that they already knew the answer to (yes, there is such thing as a stupid question), b) doing poorly on a quiz only because they didn’t read the directions (sometimes I wonder if it is even worth putting directions on a quiz, since they just ask me what to do anyway), c) feeling paralyzed when reading a text in Spanish because they don’t know what EVERY SINGLE WORD means (instead of just trying to get the gist of something), d) expecting me to have their quiz graded at the end of the day (since I have nothing else to do). (Please excuse the sarcasm, but those were my thoughts as I went through the day).

Most days I love my life as a teacher, but today was one of those days where my patience wore thin and I found myself pleading with my students over and over again to try their best, to not rely so much on me (AP students), to READ and FOLLOW directions, and that I never have had quizzes graded until their next class day because I am simply not super woman. I felt quite snippy, and I felt JUSTIFIED in my snippiness too, which is even worse.

As I reflect on my attitude today, I am embarrassed by my flesh… the Bible praises patience as a fruit of the spirit in Galatians 5:22, which should be developed and exerted when in new life in Christ, and I did not let patience overflow in abundance today when interacting with my students.

James 1:2-4 encourages us by saying that trials (like silly questions from my students) are God’s way of perfecting our patience and making us complete. Yet here I was acting snippy all day instead of letting God teach me, mold me and sanctify me. My ministry here at ICS is to be an example of Christ to my students… to be a light in the darkness… to reflect His goodness. So often my flesh gets in the way of being a Christ-like example though, and I am suddenly the one that is a) asking God silly questions like “Why me?” b) not reading His instructions (the Bible), c) feeling paralyzed when I don’t understand EVERY SINGLE thing that God allows in life, d) expecting God to answer my requests/prayers by the end of the day. See? I’m not any different than any of my students, yet God kindly demonstrates His patience towards me... and I'm pretty sure He doesn't tire of my ridiculousness and get all snippy on me! :)

Lord, despite my sinfulness, I pray that you would continue to teach me and sanctify me that I may be more like you. I pray that I would rejoice in the lessons and the trials that you bring my way, that I would find joy in my students no matter how punky-funky I think they are being, and that you wouldn’t just “give” me patience, but that you would TEACH me patience so that I might be a better reflection of you to my students.

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