Be Alert!!

Dearest Beloved,

As some of you may or may not know, I am a teacher. This past year was my first year out of the traditional classroom and stepping into my new role as the Behavior Interventionist on campus. Part of my role, among many things, is to observe students in order to recognize any patterns that may be occurring, identify triggers, etc. It was during one of these observations that I was reminded of a valuable lesson.

I sat towards the back of the classroom and watched as a young boy pranced the room with a large smile on his face. To give some background, this particular child was on a classroom point system. In order to enjoy certain end of the year activities he had to earn a certain amount of points. He hadn’t received the amount of points needed for a certain activity, thus the sudden behavior outburst. As he roamed the room he knocked items off students’ desks as they tried to work, he sang popular songs loudly trying to make students join in, he took his stress ball and tried to get other students to join in a game of catch… This child was doing anything to get one of his peers to falter. It seems his logic was, “Welp, might as well bring the whole ship down with me.” As the saying goes, “Misery loves company.”

Friends this journey we take is a hard one. There are people who have either chosen to give up or decided their fate and so they live simply to bring others down with them. The energy they bring continues to be negative or divisive. In the scenario I mentioned with the student, his actions were pretty flagrant. Unfortunately when it comes to life these people and situations aren’t always so obvious. Scripture reminds us that, “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” 1 Peter 5:8

As I mature in the faith I have found that praying for those in my circle is crucial. Jesus kept a tight reign on his inner circle; even on the one marked as the “bad seed”. Be mindful of the company you keep.

“A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” Proverbs 18:24

“He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harms.” Proverbs 13:20

Abundantly With Love,

The Anonymous Wife