Failure is supposed to be part of life, right? Failure is supposed to teach us something, right?
Is failure is supposed to make us feel empty, too?
A student who struggles in my class volunteered a very difficult answer today. I was so pleased with his response, I said, "Wow! Did that come from your brain?"
And with that one foolish moment, I crushed him. He put his head down on the desk as the other students began to laugh at him and he cried for the rest of the class period.
Oh, my broken heart, what have I done? I didn't mean it that way. I DIDN'T MEAN IT. Don't cry. Please don't cry. Be quiet, you people. Leave him alone. Let him be. I am so sorry. I shouldn't have said that. You have come so far in the past 9 months. What have I done? People, we have failed in loving our friend today, I have failed in loving our friend today. I am so sorry. I will never make this mistake again. I will never say something which can be construed as anything other than encouragement, than love, than belief in the idea that YOU CAN, YOU DO, and YOU WILL BE. I am so sorry. I am so sorry. I am so sorry.
I made someone else feel like a zero today. It is the worst feeling in the world.
9 years ago
Yes, you will probably do something similar again. And yes, you will feel just as terrible. And yes, you will replay the incident over and over again. BUT you will also teach about forgiveness in the process of repentance and restitution. And you will be reminded of how much God has forgiven and restored. For now, forgive yourself for your faux pas. It was not intentional but it was used by the enemy and exploited by the peers as a form of ridicule. Move forward and know that LOVE COVERS A MULTITUDE OF SIN. Love today. And then tomorrow do it all over again. Your students know that you love them. Continue on, you are doing well.
ReplyDeleteSo glad we were able to talk today. YOu are human sweetie. And we humans make mistakes. But God knows your heart; it's in the right place. And I pray your young student will see the love you have not only for him but He who died on the cross for all of our sins. Keep the faith. Keep your eye on Him. Keep lovin' Jesus.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Mom
xoxoxoxoxoxoxo