The next child who came kicking and screaming was on a Sunday morning. For whatever reason, they did not want to be in my class, The parent dropped them off and they stayed, but it was obvious they did not want to be there.
This was two weeks before the classes switched and they would have moved up to the next class, out of mine. At this point, I was looking to just get through the class. I kept focused on the class, but periodically, it was apparent that they did not want to be there. I showed grace in the situation. At the end of the class, the child literally ran to their parent as if they had just been released from some awful place, almost knocking their parent over.
They came the next week. The last week before they moved up. This week, in anticipation, I requested someone to assist me for the sole purpose of sitting by them if needed. They did not want to be there again. Through the course of the class, I shared various times that some didn’t want to move up, and some couldn’t wait to move up. The lesson happened to be on forgiveness, sharing how Corrie Ten Boom was able to forgive one of the cruelest guards at the concentration camp where she was held. Before the end of the class, this student asked forgiveness for being rude. There is now a bond there that was not there previously.
I can say that I didn’t do much special except endure, show grace and pray. God worked in their heart that day.
I really didn’t give up, but I was hoping I could get through the class and they would move up the next week eliminating the “conflict”. God had another plan. Working in their heart, and showing me that He still touches lives today; even when we may think there is “no hope”.
It was a completely different scene when their parent came to pick them up that week. They did not want to leave right away.
So don’t give up on the students in your care. God may be working in their, and your heart.
Have you experienced a student coming to class not wanting to be there and making that known? How did you handle it?
