Cheap Shots and Word Scars

 I overheard a student calling her mom this morning; I was in the zone of early morning preparations, and her tone snapped me out of my thoughts.

“I KNOW, Mom!  I don’t care if you told him I would.  Mom.  Mom.  Mom!  I’m NOT going!  Well you don’t know…Mom.  Mom!  MOM!!!!  I’M NOT GOING!  I’ve got to get to class.  Click.”

My heart surged for a second due to the anger I felt on the mother’s behalf, and then a great sadness as disappointment and a jolting reality hit.

My disappointment was due to the stereotype of “this generation is so bad; back in my day…”

But then reality: I’ve talked to my mother like that. 

There are so many phases of being a teenager, and sadly, teenagers think they know it all and can talk down any person who contradicts them.  How very brazen.  And I remember that phase.

But I’m seeing things very differently the older I get.  I cherish my mother, and wish I had listened to her wisdom that I now covet when I was a teen.  I swallowed a large dose of pride somewhere in college as the Lord broke my rebellion and softened my heart to authority.  I won’t lie- I still have to pray for God’s help in this area.  I’m a bold woman who has a large independent streak, which God knows is in me.  But as a teacher, I’m called to model teamwork and character, and my at-times snotty attitude can’t come into play or I won’t keep my job, a job I feel called to.

A student called me a “bitch” this week, and maybe this is why this one phone call is so disturbing to me.  I’ve seen God work in my life, but so many of my students don’t know him.  The student on the phone?  She’s living for herself, and has not desire to make time for God in this phase of her life.

What I see in this generation is a desire to justify every ill thought, mean word, and hurtful action rather than take responsibility, rather than apologize, and rather than change. 

The student who called me a “bitch” didn’t mean for me to hear, but I did.  So when I confronted her to tell her that kind of behavior would not fly with me, she said, “I said it about you, not to you.”  As if that made it okay?  That absolutely justified nothing.

People, I don’t care who they are, deserve respect.  They deserve grace and great forgiveness.  So I write to remind myself that with God’s help, I can love and forgive students who use cheap and hurtful words.  If God could change me in that way, I know he can change them too.  I thank the Lord he has shown me the value of people, especially my incredible mom and dad.

I want to be more like Christ.  Today is a great reminder of where I used to be and how far God has brought me; but it’s also a reminder of how much more I need to strive to emulate his heart, actions, and words.