Sorry for the late post. I was supposed to post last night but never got around to it before I fell asleep.
So as I said in my Facebook post, I have been running an experiment at work for the past two weeks.
I do janitorial work at a Christian Academy in Manati, Puerto Rico. So as you can imagine if chairs are on the ground it is hard to sweep the whole floor. Most of the time, in most of the rooms chairs are all up on the desks. However, in the 11th/12th grade room the chairs were never up, and the floors were always dirty. Furthermore, that led me to sweep around the desks not under them. When I came into work about two weeks ago one of the students had put their chair up. This led me to put a thank you note on his desk, just out of a genuine thanks. The next day he had it up again and the note I had left him was stuck to his board by his desk. This happened for another day, with this being the only student who put their chair up. This is what led me to the thought, "I wonder how long it will take for the whole class to get their chairs up by just saying thank you?" On the third day I felt led to put another thank you note and a candy bar on his desk, thanking him for the continued effort and that it is the little things sometimes that we see Jesus in people. The next day I came in and there was a note on his chair from him to me, thanking me for the note and the candy bar, saying that he really appreciated it. I thought cool, what a small impact I had on this kid. However, that's not all. The next day I came in the student next to him had his chair up too! So of course I left this student a thank you note as well. The next day about 5 chairs were put up; this continued for a couple days. I left a note for the teacher telling here that I really appreciate those students who put up their chairs and that it really helps me a lot. The next day I come in 3/4 of the class had their chairs up!!!! I was shocked!
So, I left a note for the principle sharing the story above. The next day, every student had their chair up! It took less than two weeks to go from zero chairs up to every chair up by just simply saying thank you!
Now this just does not only have to do with thank yous. The student who first put his chair up was being a leader and he may have not even know it. He did what was right when no one else was. My guess is he might have even felt a little uncomfortable doing it. However, his effort was noticed not only by me but by the other students. Soon, those doing what was not right followed and did what was right because this one student chose to do what was right when no one else was. Life is a lot like this and we as Christians need to remember this little story.
Yes living a life for Jesus is hard, uncomfortable and maybe even a little painful; however it is what we are called to do and it is what is right. We have two choices.
1. Say we love Jesus and are Christians but follow the world and do what everyone else is doing for the sake of feeling like everyone else, feeling good about ourselves or getting what we want.
2. Say we love Jesus and are Christians but follow Jesus and his teachings and the teachings of those who follow him as well for the sake of the gospel and doing what is right.
Life is not easy, the choices are not made for us. Through a simple thank you and by This young man choosing to do what was right the actions of the entire class changed!
Now if this can change the actions of an 11th/12th grade class, how much more could living a life like this change the world?
Huh, being kind and leading by example. What a concept. Sounds a lot like how Jesus lived.
Who knows maybe one day the Lord will lay it on the heart of the teacher to have me share this story with her class. But until then I share it with you. Not because it is a feel good story to make you feel good. That's not what I am here for. I shared this with you for you to act! For you to be kind and lead by example, just like Jesus. My example is Jesus Christ and that is who I follow.
When we as Christians step out and be Jesus to others lives change. Yes we need to share the gospel message and lead people to salvation but if we do not be kind and lead by example how will anyone ever actually believe in the message we have to share?
Didn't Jesus say something to the effect of love others as your self? And I'm pretty sure there may be something about if I do all this great stuff but do not have love I am nothing. Maybe some where in 1 Corinthians 13? Simply sharing the gospel message is not enough;we have to be the gospel message too!
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