The Fruit of the Spirit

At the age of five I already knew the fruit of the spirit by heart, I even had a handy dandy song to help me remember. It wasn't until years later that I realized what each of them truly meant.

In the last few weeks we have taken each"fruit" and dissecting what each one means to my kids in Bible class. It wasn't until recently that I realize the importance of incorporating every single one of these every single day (whether it's a good day or a bad day).

Today we worked on a very intensive project that is tied with our digital portfolio and our upcoming chapel. The project sounded simple - create each word with our bodies - it definitely was more stressful than I initially thought.

The kids all gathered in the atrium (our outside courtyard) and strained up to see me as I was on the fifth floor balcony shouting out orders of how to create letters by twisting and turning their bodies. Budi was a big help but to be honest, I think both of us are partially deaf - which in turn stirs up confusion and chaos (it's no surprise to me anymore that chaos is a natural element in my classroom).

As I was snapping pictures and losing my voice with every command, I realized that applying the fruit of the spirit to my daily life is something that I struggle with. Sure, some of them are easy like love, gentleness, and self control (I guess that's the teacher in me).

However having joy bubble out with every waking breath I take is a little more difficult task to get a handle on. I really try to choose joy but some days I want to just give up and say "Today I just want to be miserable, let me wallow! Feel free to join me if you want - misery indeed thrives on company!" Yes, not the best attitude to take, but don't you ever feel like doing that sometimes too? Oh and don't get me started on patience. That is a daily struggle, especially with the few select rambunctious fireballs I have in my class.

However, as I reflect on these thoughts of my mental conversation, I realize that not everything in our Christian walk is supposed to be a piece of pie.If it was, well that would be stinking amazing; but then as we fight incessantly to keep these fruits ample each day, God reveals himself in ways we never thought possible.

This unit and this project have really made an impact on the kids, but to be honest, I think it made an even bigger impact on me. Teachers are meant to teach, and that's true, but I really think teachers are meant to learn too. I have discovered more about myself, my character, and my identity in Jesus Christ in these past months of being a teacher than I ever have in my entire life.