Absorbing the Bad

 I have been thinking about how to teach my students.  They are young and already they have had such hard lives sometimes.  I have worked at my school for 10 years.  What do I want them to learn?  What have I learned that I could teach them about the world?  I wonder.

I have taught my own children that two wrongs don't make a right.  I get this from the Bible directly. Romans 12:14-21 ESV says: 

"Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.  Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another.  Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly.  Never be wise in your own sight.  Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all.  If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.  Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, 'Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the LORD.'  To the contrary, 'if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.' Do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with good."

Man!  This is a lot to go by.  I mean, I love God but I don't think I could do it all.  But I have seen it.  Someone gets disrespected, someone FEELS disrespected and all of a sudden there is a tete a tete.  Could this all be miscommunication?  I think it could be.  Someone nods and another insecure person thinks that this nod means that they are "dogging" them.  A glance may just be a glance.  A nod may just be a nod.  Maybe they are thinking about things that they have to do later and are nodding to themselves.  I know that I have laughed and it has been misinterpreted as me laughing at someone.  It really could just mean that I'm laughing at myself or something in my head.  Not everything is about you.  And in walks in Ego.

We don't really fight with people, do we?  We fight with their ego and insecurities.  We are not really fighting flesh and blood but sometimes, we are fighting the spirit world (as if we are actually able to fight in the spirit world).  Take a note from Ephesians 6:12.  I mean, I have my own issues that are in the way of doing better for others.  I have my own bruised ego that I am trying to present to Jesus.  But I know that someone could get caught in the doing-evil cycle and it becomes a Hatfield and McCoy type situation.  

So... when someone hurts my feelings, either on purpose or inadvertently, I will forgive and I bring it to Jesus to help me process what I'm feeling.  Maybe then, I can help heal the world.  I will try to teach my students and my children that when you let go and give it to Jesus than means that they don't have to carry it or the scar hate leaves in their heart.  I'm telling myself the same thing going forward in the world.  And pray!!!  Prayer works!!!  Praise the Lord!