I heard about a teacher who had an S at the back of her room.
Unfortunately, this is where she would put the student whom she thought to be the most stupid. That was what the S stood for. She then arranged the students, putting the student she thought to be the smartest in front of her. The one she thought to be the most stupid, she sat in the back of the class under the S.
One of the students she put there was a girl who had done well in the first grade. But when the teacher put her under that big S, her grades dropped. All the other students pointed their fingers at the girl and called her stupid.
When the girl went to third grade, her teacher did what she could to encourage the little girl by telling her she was going to make it. One day, the first-grade teacher was having behavioral problems with all her students, so she called the girl back to her room. She told the class that if she could, she would put them all under that big S. She then told the little girl to hold out her hands, and she popped them with a ruler. The teacher informed the class she would do the same to them if they didn’t straighten up. The teacher’s actions affected this girl into her adult life.
The story illustrates how verbal abuse experienced in childhood can damage us for life. That is why it’s a good idea to pray this verse every day: Set a watch oh Lord before my mouth. Keep the door of my lips.
Let’s ask God to set a watch over our mouths. If He warns us not to speak, we should obey. And when we mess up, we must repent quickly.
What steps can you take to better control your mouth?
(Photo courtesy of pixabay.)
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Darrell Waters loves Jesus and wants to please Him in all he says, thinks, and does. He is legally blind and disabled but feels that devotional writing is his calling in life. Darrell sings in the choir and also specials on a singers' list in Sunday services as well as on Wednesday nights.