I had just completed one of the more trying class periods I have ever experienced while subbing. Almost as soon as I walked into the room filled with eighth graders, I was disrespected. I hadnt said a word, but the attitude was obvious. During the course of the one hour and twenty minute period I sent two boys to the office for, what I hoped would be a remedial attitude adjustment. They came back in fifteen minutes none the worse for wear. Such is the struggle of being a substitute teacher for a Middle School. Upon completion of the period I was leaving the building and heard a sixth grader call out, Hi Mr. Hockney! There was a big smile and the day began to get better. As we walked back to the other side of the campus I had a number of seventh graders say hi to me on the way. That prompted the sixth grader to say, Wow Mr. Hockney, youre famous! By then my experience with the eighth graders became a distant memory. I had to laugh when I was told that I was famous. I dont believe that any of us ever feel or would describe ourselves as famous. But to this sixth grader, having so many kids say hi to me left an impression. I still dont think of myself as famous, but it did get me to reflect on the influence that we have and how that influence affects those we encounter. For me, my sphere of influence has widened because of what I am doing as a pastor and a substitute teacher. Last week I substituted all five days and in that week I was in four different classes. I encountered between 125 and 150 children. What a responsibility! But also what an opportunity! When I was the pastor of the Chestnut Ridge Baptist Church in Elyria, OH, I was walking through the lobby between Sunday School and the morning service. I heard a little voice calling out, God, God! It was a little girl of about four years old trying to get my attention. She associated her pastor with God. On another occasion I was visiting the home of one of our members whose brother had passed away and I was told that one of his grandchildren had looked out the window and saw me talking with his grandfather. He told his grandmother that Jesus was sitting out on the patio. When I thought about being called famous these two incidents came to mind. What we do and how we live has an impact that we are often unaware of at the time. The longer I pastor and the more I serve the Lord, the more I am reminded that I have to live in such a way as to leave a good example for others to follow. Paul told Titus, And you yourself must be an example to them by doing good works of every kind. Let everything you do reflect the integrity and seriousness of your teaching. Titus 2:7 (NLT) This has less to do with intentionality and more to do with living the Christian life consistently. I have found too many people who fail at the point of living a life worthy of emulating on a regular basis because they only intentionally live the Christian life periodically.(Usually on Sunday) I dont have the option of picking and choosing when Im going to live the Christian life. I have to live it constantly, because Im being watched all the time. I guess thats what happens when youre famous! :) God Bless! Pastor Dave --Posted By Pastor Daves Blog to Pastor Dave - WOCC at 9/02/2014 05:36:00 PM
Posted on: Wed, 03 Sep 2014 04:18:03 +0000
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