A Kind Warning
Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Ephesians 4:31 (NIV)
One of the most difficult tasks as a teacher is telling a parent that their child has been naughty, rude, or disrespectful. Sometimes the behavior was blatantly wrong and other times it was just a warning that their child was headed in the wrong direction. Neither extreme felt good, yet, I knew it was necessary. Diane Stark (All God’s Creatures) tells us about prairie dog habits and sounding the alarm.
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A mom I know from my children’s school texted me. “I was a substitute teacher in the kindergarten class today. Nathan was being disrespectful.” She wrote. When I asked for more details, she said he was acting silly during the lesson. I felt annoyed. I didn’t think silliness constituted disrespect. I thanked the mom for her concern, but I didn’t mean it. The next time I saw her, I still felt irritated. “God, help me not to hold a grudge,” I said.
A few weeks later, I chaperoned Nathan’s field trip to the zoo. The other mom was there. I waved from across the room and hoped I wouldn’t have to sit with her on the bus. At the zoo, we stopped at the prairie dog exhibit and watched the little creatures poke their heads up out their burrows and chirp at one another playfully. Then a shadow moved across the ground and the prairie dogs went into danger mode. One of them barked a warning, and the others ran to their burrows to hide. I spotted a hawk in the air. The enclosure had a net ceiling, so the hawk posed no actual danger, but the prairie dogs took no chances.
As I watched them gradually come out and return to their activities, I noticed the prairie dog who barked the warning stayed where he was, ready to sound the alarm if needed.
Although his warning was unnecessary, he had his friends’ best interests in mind. I realized that the mom from school did too. She was trying to help and alert me to a potential problem with my son that I wouldn’t otherwise have known. “God, thank You for helping me see the truth,” I prayed.
On the bus ride back, the other mom and I had a nice conversation about how moms need to look out for one another, just as prairie dogs do.
Resentment or grudges do no harm to the person against whom you hold these feelings but every day and every night of your life, they are eating at you. Norman Vincent Peale
Lord Jesus, help me not to hold grudges against others. I want to be more like You. I am so glad You do not hold grudges against anyone. AMEN.