Lift-Up the Let-Downs.

Dodger:  Hello again!  It's good to see you back.  We didn't get to meet up last week, so I'm glad we're here tonight.

Lilly:  Me too.  I need to chill out with friends before I go back to Mrs. Snidely.

Dodger:  Mrs. Snidely?  Who's she?

Lilly:  She's my math teacher at school.  I really don't care for her.

Dodger:  Why not?

Lilly:  She's not very nice.

Dodger:  Um...not to gossip, but could you clarify?

Lilly:  She doesn't explain things well, and if you ask questions she looks at like you like you're a lost cause and then proceeds to explain it over again in a way even more confusing than the first time.  On top of that, I'm pretty sure she doesn't like me bringing my Bible to school.  She kind of stared at it when she first saw it in my book bag and her eyes followed it all the way to my desk while she curled her bottom lip.  That's kind of creepy, at the least, and hostile, at the most.

Dodger:  Well, have you tried doing anything about it?

Lilly:  Sure.  I've talked to the principal, to my friends, my parents, even to the gym teacher!  They almost all say grin and bear it.  My parents say I shouldn't worry about her, but she still bothers me.

Dodger:  Hm.  Well, have you tried praying for her?

Lilly:  I haven't, because I think she'd just make things harder for me if she knew I was doing it.

Dodger:  I see.  Well, there's a verse in the Bible that actually says you should start praying for her.

Lilly:  Really?  Let me see.

Dodger:  Here you go.  This is Paul writing to Timothy.

Lilly: "Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.  For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth." (1 Timothy 2:1-4 NKJV)
Dodger:  Pray for those in charge.  I think that includes Mrs. Snidely, Lilly.

Lilly:  I suppose so.  Still, what good would it really do me?  Unless she changes all in a day, I still have to go to class and handle all the stuff she does.

Dodger:  Well, I think Paul, who wrote this, put it pretty well.  By praying for everyone in authority, whether they're government officials, teachers, or even our parents, we can lead a peaceable and godly life.  People who see us living what we believe are more likely to believe it themselves.  That's why you should pray for Mrs. Snidely, Lilly.  Who knows?  Maybe God is asking you to represent Him to her!  She may not change all in one day, but it can't hurt to pray for her, even if it's not in front of her.  In fact, you could just start praying for her, continue to work hard in her class and show her respect, and see what God does.  Whether you ever see her change or not, at least you'll have done your very best to show her what Jesus would do.

Lilly:  That's good advice.

Dodger:  It's not my idea.  I think sometimes the difficult people in our lives are viewed only as an obstacle, when they might in fact be a blessing.

Lilly:  Blessing?

Dodger:  You're being given the opportunity to be more like Jesus, even when it's hard.  That's actually a really neat chance, hard as it is.

Lilly:  I hadn't thought of it that way before...  Good thinking!

Dodger:  Thanks.  Well, it looks like we'd better get going.  Thanks for joining us today!  Remember, Jesus loves you, and that's not about to change!

Lilly:  May you never run out of clam chowder!

Dodger:  Say what?

Lilly:  Nothing...




We would like to clarify that no one by the name of Mrs. Snidely exists to the best of our knowledge.  Except for people of the Bible and God, everyone in this post is fictitious and any resemblance to anyone anywhere in any way is completely accidental and coincidental.  With that out of the way, NKJV Means New King James Version.