I see myself in my students

“Sure, the children are naughty, but Gladys says that G*d loves wicked and naughty children and so we must do the same.” – quote by Chang, Gladys Alward’s cook

“Bu yao!” I don’t want to!
The little boy yelled at my face. His eyes were full of defiance.
“Sit down.” My voice rose with more authority and a little less compassion.
He glared at me again. “Bu yao!” He screamed.
I motioned to the chair and lowered myself to his eye level. I spoke calmly, but firmly. “You were not listening to Teacher.” I gestured with dramatic hand motions to make sure this student understood me. I “helped” this defiant young child sit in the chair and then returned to teach.
As I made my way back to the front of the classroom, he rose out of his chair once again in rebellion. “Sit down,” I motioned. I held his gaze and waited until he sat. Finally, I resumed teaching.
His defiance and lack of respect appalled me. Most of the time, my students are pure bundles of joy. They supply an endless supply of smiles and hugs. But this one student….he was something else. He delighted in seeing how far he could push me.
Tomorrow is a new day. I told myself after his class. He will be better tomorrow.
But I was wrong. The next day ensued another battle.
“Bu yao!” He yelled again and shook his head vehemently.
As I lowed myself to his eye level in order to calmly “correct” him once again, my heart was pricked….because this time when I looked into his eyes full of anger and blind defiance, I didn’t see a young, naughty child.
I saw myself.
I saw my wicked and rebellious heart before it met the cross. I saw my pre-converted soul yelling at the S*vior, “Bu yao! I don’t want to!….I don’t want to surrender. I don’t want to yield myself to Your Authority.” And yet – in the midst of my outright defiance – He loved me.
He gave His life for me.
And He has called me to do the same each day for this child.
Truth be told, this past week has been rather challenging, to say the least. As my students have become more comfortable with me, they have also begun to “test the waters” a bit (or a lot, in some cases :). And when these times of testing come, I have two responses: frustration or love. I am prone to respond in fleshly exasperation. But then I must daily remember the g*spel. He did not respond in anger to me. He loved me.
When I yelled in His face, and fully deserved His just wrath, He gave His love.
In fact, He gave His life.
And when my children yell in my face, I must give His life to them.
Yes, they can be quite naughty.
But when I remember the g*spel, I remember that G*d loves wicked and naughty children.
And so, I must do the same.