I finished up the school year substitute teaching for a junior high class last week.
Beforehand, as the time grew closer to that particular sub day I thought to myself, “what on earth was I thinking taking that sub job? School lets out for summer break two days later and those kids are gonna be filled with anticipation!”
Alas my too-late-to-back-out-now teaching day arrived. I made sure my most optimistic attitude wouldn’t be counted absent and I shot up a prayer for a sweet day to take place…
As kids gradually trickled in for the morning to begin I was surprised to be met with a classroom full of quiet, ready to learn kids!!!
What!?? What is this??!!
I was grateful and humbled because this certain grade can be a bit unruly. God was offering His blessing over my simple but genuine prayer request.
After a few classes had rotated through a new one came in…
Amongst them a group of three boys sat at a table in their assigned seats. They quietly talked among themselves which I allowed because they were keeping busy on schoolwork all the while and no one else in the classroom seemed bothered by it.
One of the boys in that group of three is charming but also has somewhat of a bully reputation. I could hear their conversation and it grew intriguing as he made a comment that sounded very far-out and supernatural. Without delay the other two boys (who happen to come from Christian homes) spoke up, kindly disagreeing with him, and channeled straight into their faith and backed up their beliefs by defending the Bible and poured into this misled kid with so much truth…it was seriously a beautiful blessing to witness!! God was glorified!!
Afterwards, because we live in small town USA and everyone knows everyone, I reached out to the mamas of those young evangelists. I wanted them to know of their son’s bold but patient and caring words to this boy and it in turn blessed both moms to get a glimpse of their son’s faith in action.
1 Peter 3:15 is such a good reminder for us to ‘always be ready to give a reason for the hope in us.’
God can use any one of us at any moment, in the most unexpected of ways. Because of this we have so many opportunities to point others toward Jesus but we must be familiar with what we believe. We dig into the word with enthusiasm and an eagerness to learn and grow. We come to love our God with a committed relationship and we speak to others sharing about His goodness. As we do so we fulfill our end to 1 Peter 3:15…just like those two boys did.
Our world is much like a classroom…just waiting for answers…let’s encourage one another to show and teach them Jesus.
For His Purpose 