I teach middle school. Enough said? Haha. You have those students who want to learn and are respectful, and then you have those who act like they truly don’t care and tend to act out in a way that is disrespectful. I could go in case study chit chat, but really? This is not for that, and I am not a certified psychologist (even though I find that subject totally interesting.)
While reading the verses in Psalm and Proverbs from today’s “Walk with God” I can’t help but envision some of the middle school students I see or may possibly have each day. When I am in contact with a young man or young lady (I’m using the terms loosely. 
) who either is or portrays themselves to be uncaring about their education, wants to be known as the comedy tough guy/girl, or is downright rude, I just want to go all “parent” on them.
What a coincidence that these verses came up today (God is so cool like that!) because twice yesterday I had two different conversations, one with a teacher and the other with one of my classes. Who knows what got us started off on this discussion (I have a tendency to interject “life-lessons” into my math lessons), but I had mentioned to the children that “when I was in elementary school” we knew of ONE kid-of-trouble throughout the whole school (K-5th grade). Nowdays, you may have one (or at least one) in every class. That led us to talk about respect to other students and teachers in and outside of the classroom, and the desire to want to learn even when things “get boring”. (Oh, that’s it! That sparked the conversation. Another teacher had just said how someone blurted out in class, “I’m bored.” Ugh!)
Then, the conversation with my fellow teacher was that I went to give her good news about how one of her students behaved for me that day. He was respectful, participative, and doing his work and doing it well. (That doesn’t always happen with this particular student.) She asked me what I had done differently. I had to think for a moment, then realized I didn’t give in to his “bad attitude” lately and would compliment, or respectfully say “hi” or something, throughout the day when I saw him in the halls, and encouraged him when I saw him doing the right thing. Proverbs 9:7 says, “Criticize a person who is rude and shows no respect, and you will only get insults. Correct the wicked, and you will only get hurt.” Oh boy, this student and I have had some “discussions”, but I felt like I was beating my head against the wall. Lately, it has been different. Yeah!
Go be kind, compassionate, and forgiving today. Blessing to you!
Proverbs 9:7-9
Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)
7 Criticize a person who is rude and shows no respect, and you will only get insults. Correct the wicked, and you will only get hurt. 8 Don’t correct such people, or they will hate you. But correct those who are wise, and they will love you. 9 Teach the wise, and they will become wiser. Instruct those who live right, and they will gain more knowledge.
Psalm 37:34-40
New Living Translation (NLT)
34 Put your hope in the Lord.
Travel steadily along his path.
He will honor you by giving you the land.
You will see the wicked destroyed.
35 I have seen wicked and ruthless people
flourishing like a tree in its native soil.
36 But when I looked again, they were gone!
Though I searched for them, I could not find them!
37 Look at those who are honest and good,
for a wonderful future awaits those who love peace.
38 But the rebellious will be destroyed;
they have no future.
39 The Lord rescues the godly;
he is their fortress in times of trouble.
40 The Lord helps them,
rescuing them from the wicked.
He saves them,
and they find shelter in him.
Ephesians 4:32
Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
| March 28 Numbers 31:1-54 Luke 2:39-52 Psalm 37:34-40 Proverbs 9:7-9 |