"He who loves a pure heart and whose speech is gracious will have the king for his friend." -Proverbs 22:11This Monday, when I came back from my fall reading break, I was happy to see the two girls that I babysit. They are in first and third grade, and I take care of them after school. We laughed as the first grader dotted her nose with ice cream while the third grader crowned her with a sombrero made of a paper napkin. We get along well, but sometimes starting homework is not so fun.
This past Monday was Columbus Day, so the girls had homework about the holiday. The younger one had a reading booklet, but told me that she did not want to read it. When I asked her to read it anyway, she sighed and said it was just for fun. Then, I asked her if I could read it. Both of them looked up as she responded, "Sure." After I read the first page and began explaining its picture, she took the booklet from me and began to read it to us on her own.
This may sound simple, but it was a revelation for me! In the past, I think I had approached asking them to do homework with more of an attitude that was not so filled with the Spirit. However, on that Columbus Day, I saw that my attitude could make a difference on the experience of homework. When I spoke with more grace, I was showing them that I had hope in them and that the process could be an enjoyable. That day, homework had become a fun adventure instead of a heartless duty.
I pray that there will be more days like this where I choose to live and speak with an attitude and a heart that is more like Jesus!
"Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me." -Psalm 51:10
Picture from http://www.visitoakpark.com/
