The major theme tonight was:
Greatest Commandment:
You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind and love your neighbors as yourself. (Matthew 22:37-39)
You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind and love your neighbors as yourself. (Matthew 22:37-39)
As members of God's community, God's people we should treat everyone we meet with Love.
The thing that jumped out at me tonight was the major learning difference in first graders and tenth graders. I spent this weekend as a chaperon at a confirmation retreat for a local Catholic Church.
At one point tonight we made a chart of the talents that God gave us. We learned that we can use these talents to help and better others, like when we use our math skills to help someone who has questions. The chart was on the chalk board and the kids were bouncing to answer.
This weekend, because social norm ruled the cool factor, there was little bouncing. Sometimes it was like pulling teeth to get an answer out of these kids. I adored the weekend overall, but this stark difference in 9 years of school was loud tonight.
Conveniently, as I was reminded of this discrepancy in attitudes, I was also charged with teaching the first graders a valuable, pertinent lesson: Love everyone, even if they sit there, pretending to be grumpy. Love everyone, even if they are too cool to sing during praise and worship sessions. Love everyone, even if they are jumping up and down to answer your questions, though you've told them four times to sit on his or her bottom and wait patiently.
Simple? Yep. Not easy, but simple.
4 comments:
This was the gospel at our wedding. I love it cause it is something so easy to keep etched on your heart - Love God: heart, soul, mind; Love others.
I never thought of the cool factor like that before. I've taught high schoolers while teaching 1st/2nd graders at the same time, and never once did I ever think about the differences like that before...but I agree with you 100%!
"Love everyone, even if they sit there, pretending to be grumpy." Love this. It reminds me of that poem by Mother Teresa "Do it anyway":
People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies. Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you. Be honest and sincere anyway.
What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight. Create anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous. Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, will often be forgotten. Do good anyway.
Give the best you have, and it will never be enough. Give your best anyway.
In the final analysis, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.
-this version is credited to Mother Teresa
Nice stuff Elizabeth! You are shaping the future, keep it up!
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