Friday, December 8, 2023

living what you preach

"You then who teach others, do you not teach yourself? 
While you preach against stealing (an action), do you steal (act that way)?" Romans 2:21

"Mrs. Williams, can i get my lamination?"

But i didn't have it.  Confused, i thought hard about my actions the day before.  I remembered laminating the items because it was tricky placement. I remembered cutting the pieces off. And then, my mind blacked out.  But knowing my usual pattern, i was sure i returned it to her.


"Didn't you see it in your classroom?" 

"It's not there."

Doubting her, i went to look myself, nothing... then i checked with her team mates on the hall...then i sent out an email looking for it... then i checked the path of my footsteps the day before... then i checked  ALL the classrooms... checked the bathroom... and finally i returned to the library, defeated and puzzled, where i met these sweet words.....

"Ohhhh, Mrs. Williams," look what i found."

"What?! Where!?!"

"It was in the workroom in a box next to the laminator."

In that moment the rest of the laminating job rushed back to me.  After finishing the task at hand, i was immediately interrupted by a teacher looking for some books in the workroom. I sat the items down to help her.  And obviously forgot about it, exiting the workroom  to resume checkout duties.

What happened to me was exactly what i preach to students time and time again when they come to me positive they returned a missing library book.  "Go back and look again.  You were likely in the process of returning the book, got interrupted or sidetracked and didn't complete the task."

Ugh. If only i had taken my own advice... the steps, the time, the energy, the confusion... i could have saved.

Father, if we practice what we preach, would it make a difference??  For me the answer is an obvious yes.

we are loved and chosen by God,
may we live, love and do like we believe it,
veneal

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