Live Wise | Live Well
Recent events have left many of us reeling. The onset of a global pandemic, a shutdown of multiple systems of life and society, halted worship services, and intense political tensions have our nation on the edge of economic and social collapse. Now, with the recent […]
We all want to feel alive and growing in our faith, knowing and understanding God in a deeper way, secure enough in Him to weather the many storms of life, and still see evidence of this health in our relationship with God and others. But […]
One of the most damaging words I ever heard growing up was not a curse word, a name, or anything derogatory, it was something intended to encourage and spur me on towards hard work and self-discipline. But an unfortunate consequence of using this word in this context created a prison of which I still am trying to break free.
Perfect.
It was third grade and our teacher initiated a reward system to encourage good behavior– it was a small gold trophy with a plate stating “Student of the Week” given to one who exhibited the best behavior of all their peers. This was before participation awards and the over-praising of children that we see in society today. A trophy back in 1982 meant you did something awesome, something truly noteworthy. And I wanted one. BAD.
Each Friday afternoon at 2:45, we students sat with rapt attention, hearts pounding, hoping to hear our name called.
Week after week, my name wasn’t called. But I could usually recall an instance where I spoke out of turn, failed to follow directions, or had an issue with a fellow classmate. And since I could identify those infractions, I only worked harder the next week to ensure I didn’t repeat those same mistakes.
