Whom do we consider as "unbelievers"?

Those are the people who do not or perhaps have not yet accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. They often referred to as the "lost". In my profession as a teacher, I met a lot of them, mostly are my students, and some of my colleagues. But sometimes I am wondering or better yet surprise to observe that these "lost" ones are the one who behaves well. I mean, their actions are more convincing than those who presume and assume themselves as one ("Christ believer"). I am not judging them but it just saddened me that those who supposedly influenced others are the ones being influenced. Those whom I thought could share the great love of Christ are somehow being brainwashed by the people surrounding them. 

In my class, I always ask somebody to pray before we start. I can tell who are  those supposedly "have known the truth" through the way they pray but I am caught alarmed when I heard them cursing in the middle of the class just because somebody disturbed them while working on their drawing project.

Why it saddened me? It saddened me because I can sometimes see myself in them. I claimed to have been saved by grace and accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior, yet judging the way I behave sometimes, I might be put into question when I will be facing God during the Judgment Day.

Indeed, in the book of Corinthians, Paul was right, "we should not be yoked together with unbelievers". There's a big possibility that we will really fall especially if our spiritual health is undernourished. And if we insist, we might get overwhelmed in the darkness that we will be like chasing in the dark because we cannot contain their presence around us.

A little over two weeks ago I tried to change my blog name from God Brought Me Here to Simply Jackie. You know that feeling when you want to make a drastic change hoping you got it right but turns out nothing. I thought by changing my blog name I'll get to draw more advertisers on my site. They might thought my blog is focus on religious post and the like so I changed it. However, nothing really change. In fact, I've got no more opportunities from my "loyal" advertisers then it occur to me that maybe they thought my blog is gone!

The ending? I'll change it back to the original! 

:)

1. Stubborn- I always insist on what I want even if it seems wrong for any one.
2. Short-tempered- So, don't you ever try me!
3. Impatient- I don't want you to keep me waiting.
4. Annoying- if you'll annoy me first
5. Inquisitive- I ask too many questions
6. Sensitive- So be careful what you uttered to me.
7. Dependent- I just can't live alone
8. Perfectionist- though I'm imperfect.
9. Moody- seasonal indeed but manageable!
10. Harsh- with the way I speak sometimes or with the comments I gave

To sum it up, you will tend to hate me because I am who I am, what you see is what you get...

So, if you're among those whom I got offended with because of my harsh words or comments, I am so sorry. But, I will never be that bad unless being provoked. Should I add there less self-control?

Is there really disadvantages of being good? Believe me, the answer is YES. In my eight years of teaching, I met different kind of students with unique attitudes. And as a teacher, you need to adjust yourself in order to get harmonized with them. Hmm, what I mean with "in order to get harmonized with them" is to have a peaceful relationship with them. 

I do not want to be labeled as TERROR TEACHER. I want my students to see the real me. I want them to know me as me. That is why I made myself available for them always. I am so approachable, so to speak. I am willing to go an extra mile just to teach them, even if it means a one-on-one tutorial because they just don't get the lesson despite of your lengthy explanation, elaboration and demonstration. I befriended them, give them a piece of advice when they need to and being so cool to them. I joke with them, laugh with them and even cry with them! That is me! I just want to be the coolest teacher as long as I could.

But that was before.

My leniency ended when I felt that my reputation as a "cool teacher" was being abused by some of them. They don't bother to get serious anymore on my subject because I am such a considerate teacher and that I can give them another chance to cope up with their misses. Oh, it hurts so much when such thing happened not only once, twice but so many times. Well, IF TRUTH BE TOLD, I didn't actually reconsider them because I am such a considerate teacher, or I pity them, it's actually their parents that I pitied the most who could be unaware of what they are doing.

Right now, things has changed. After I gave my discussion (lesson proper), I do not have a heart to repeat it anymore for those who were late in coming to class and for those who were absent, of course, not unless they have valid reasons. I also do not hesitate in giving failing remarks for those who deserves it judging from their performances and attitude. I also hate those students who don't bother to listen simply because they have somebody to rely on to in case they need "help". Too bad for them because I hate copycat! Just this afternoon, I confiscated one flash drive to teach them a lesson.

It's so sad to think that instead of reciprocating your goodness with another goodness, the opposite things happened and that's reality.

 

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Hello there! I so miss this Thankful Thursday meme. Considering that it's the first of August, I would like to thank God for the past seven months of sustaining us and giving us more reasons to be hopeful for; to have a brighter tomorrow with my family. Actually. I've got countless of challenges but amazing indeed our God is because He never leave me at all despite the fact that I am so stubborn minding MY own way. 

I've been trying to fool myself by being so hypocrite with the realities in life. Well, actually, I was just in the state of denial that life is quite rough for the past days. But like what I have said, God sustained me all the way. If I will be likened to children in  a family, I am the black sheep. I decided on things abruptly. My hubby was even complaining about it. I am always impatient with the things that I want. Good thing I am still aware that what I did was wrong, an indication that I am not yet completely lost on Him.

God the Father is not like some of those biological fathers who can afford to abandon their children. But sometimes, this kind of truth spoiled me in one way or another. Since God loves me that much and without condition, I can be myself, my stubbornness and my impatience are the living proof that I am such a spoiled brat. However, God, just like any father, also disciplines His children so no wonder why I went through such ordeals: to teach me a lesson. I am a teacher but yet I've got a lot of lessons to be learned.

So if I have to enumerate the things that I should be thankful for, first on the list would be God's unconditional love for me. There are times that my Mom made me feel that she doesn't care about me anymore, God didn't. I oftentimes put the blame on Him when I am so down with my life accusing Him of being so unfair and yet He never fails to remind me that what I was thinking was wrong. God is love. Yes I know that, maybe I just have to tame myself from being so self-centered sometimes. Spoiled as I am, I want to have the things that I want in the time that I badly need it. And God has His way of disciplining me. He allowed me to cry, to feel bad and when I am through with all these "emotional tantrums", God uses someone to remind me that He loves me, the whole ME, unconditionally.

How about you? Share the things that you are grateful about and link it on Thankful Thursday hosted by Grace Alone.