Saturday, November 13, 2021

transformative kindness

A co-worker has a poster on her classroom door that asks "Is it helpful? Is it kind? Is it inspiring? Is it respectful?" along with a few others I can't remember without looking at it. Each time I walk through her classroom, it reminds me of Philippians 4:8: "Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, whatever is excellent, whatever is praise-worthy, dwell on these things." -NIV 

 There is so much hurt and injustice exposed in my daily life as a middle school teacher in a rural, public school. Children experience widely different levels of resources at home, support from adults, and models of interpersonal relationships. I am regularly cursed by students and families. It would be very easy to fixate on the brokenness, the negativity and the sheer hatred that sneers at me each day. Instead, the poster in Megan's room reminds me of the transformative kindness that makes the Gospel so culturally infuriating. Catholic refugee families from Guatemala worship the same resurrected Savior. Mask-refusing and vaccine-rejecting families claim the same name under Heaven. Somehow in the mess of sin and humanity, there's grace to listen to exhausted pre-teens try to find a way in a world nobody understands. 

Somehow, by the patience of a crucified Savior, I can be patient as terrified caregivers try to blame me for the behaviors of the children in our shared care. I am convinced that the kindness of Christ transforms broken relationships. I'm as weary as ever, but there are ancient promises about that, too.
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Ephesians 5

Therefore, be imitators of God as dearly loved children and live in love, just as Christ also loved us and gave himself for us, a sacrificial and fragrant offering to God. But among you there must not be either sexual immorality, impurity of any kind, or greed, as these are not fitting for the saints. Neither should there be vulgar speech, foolish talk, or coarse jesting – all of which are out of character – but rather thanksgiving. For you can be confident of this one thing: that no person who is immoral, impure, or greedy (such a person is an idolater) has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.

Let nobody deceive you with empty words, for because of these things God’s wrath comes on the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakers with them, for you were at one time darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of the light – for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness, and truth – and find out what pleases the Lord. Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. For the things they do in secret are shameful even to mention. But all things being exposed by the light are made evident. For everything made evident is light, and for this reason it says:

“Awake, O sleeper!

Rise from the dead,

and Christ will shine on you!”

Therefore be very careful how you live – not as unwise but as wise, taking advantage of every opportunity, because the days are evil. For this reason do not be foolish, but be wise by understanding what the Lord’s will is. And do not get drunk with wine, which is debauchery, but be filled by the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making music in your hearts to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for each other in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord, because the husband is the head of the wife as also Christ is the head of the church – he himself being the savior of the body. But as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives just as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her to sanctify her by cleansing her with the washing of the water by the word, so that he may present the church to himself as glorious – not having a stain or wrinkle, or any such blemish, but holy and blameless. In the same way husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one has ever hated his own body but he feeds it and takes care of it, just as Christ also does the church, for we are members of his body. For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and will be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. This mystery is great – but I am actually speaking with reference to Christ and the church. Nevertheless, each one of you must also love his own wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

hey guys