
I am a substitute teacher and even though I haven't been doing it long, I sometimes just can't believe what I hear and what I see. Today for example I got to substitute in a first grade class. The morning was going pretty smooth, and since it was going pretty smooth I had some extra time to spare. So I got the class sitting around me on the floor asking them questions about themselves so that I could get to know them better. As usual the kids were excited and started to blurb out all at once. So I had them raise their hands in order to have them talk one person at a time. Then I came to Shannon. She was a bubbly bright native american girl. When I called her name, she sunk a little and her voice became a little soft. "My daddy died," she said softly. "He was drunk, and he got hurt and died, and now my uncle is in jail and I have a different mommy now. She is white and has blue eyes," as she widens and points to her brown eyes. When I heard that my heart sank, "I'm so sorry to hear that Shannon." She smiled. As the day progressed Shannon came to me and again with her soft voice asked me, "Can I have a hug please?" I looked at her brown eyes and said, "Of course you can!" and I gave her the biggest hug I could. I knew that it was against the rules to hug a student, but I knew she really needed it. She left my embrace and continued her work. I smiled. Somehow I needed that hug just as much as she did.
When I left home I was still thinking about Shannon and how much she already had to endure. Life was already asking too much from this 6 year old, but from what I can tell by her face, she didn't seem to mind. Maybe she is too innocent to realize just how horrible her situation really is... or maybe I have been so selfish and egotistical to realize that what I have been through isn't the end of the world after all. I mean here I am, alive and living. Living a life that a lot of people would die for, and someone did. When Shannon told me her story there was no hint of resentment, no hint of self-pity, there was only facts. And when she needed a hug she came and asked for it. I can't begin to tell you what a powerful lesson that was for me. Even though I came into that classroom as the teacher, I left as the student. I think I can better grasp what Jesus was saying about becoming like children in order to inherit the kingdom of God.
God is so good.