Having the Essence of Christ

I’ve recently been reminded of a time the Lord saved me from a troubling situation.

He shielded me from embarrassment and clothed me with humility.

if you follow my blog posts, you might recall, that I worked two jobs for nine months of last year.

That is, I taught kindergarten at a local Christian school during the day and worked as an office administrator after school until around 6-7pm.

They were busy days.

Kindergarten teacher by day.

Office administrator by night.

Pastor's wife in between. (That's my son in the background.)

However, what made my days more strenuous, was a co-worker who appeared to not like me.

This co-worker happened to be another elementary teacher at the Christian school where I was teaching, so we saw each other every day.

About 3 weeks into the school year, it became apparent this ‘teacher’ had an issue with me.

My first inclination was to try every which way to win her heart. Which I attempted to. But failed.

Then, my next inclination was to ignore her. Which I did, and it didn’t faze her.

My third inclination was to start praying. Which I did, and thankfully, the Lord heard my cry.

By mid-school year, things were really starting to heat up and there was no way I could break the icy stares, cold shoulders, and snubs from this teacher.

Christmas break was upon us, and I was looking forward to time away from the school for a couple of weeks, so I could clear my head.

Something I had heard during a sermon at church one Sunday during Christmas break, got me to thinking about a New Year’s resolution.

“Those who have the spirit of wisdom know what is right from wrong.”

My prayer to find favor with this teacher was leading me to desire wisdom so I could know right from wrong.

I’ve been a Christian for most of my life, but I still need help choosing right from wrong because my emotions and intellect get in the way.

When this happens, I can’t hear clearly from the Lord because all I want to do is my own thing.

Hearing this comment in church caused me to cry out, “Oh Lord, give me wisdom so, I can know the right thing to do in every situation!”

Carrying this desire for wisdom into the new year was the “wisest” thing I could’ve done for myself.

I determined within my heart to seek the Lord at every turn, no matter how small the matter.

My new year’s resolution: Go to the Lord first, before doing anything.

So, whenever there is an issue, a question, a concern –I will go directly to the Lord to know the ‘right’ thing to do.

He met me at every turn, too!

He is so faithful to meet with those who call upon Him with a contrite heart.

“Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and all these things will be added unto you,” (Matthew 6:33, KJV).

A big test came my way a few months later, when, for some unknown reason, this teacher who did not like me, confronted me at recess by yelling at me in front of some kids and teachers.

Usually, her mistreatment went unnoticed by others, but this time, it was out in the open.

Thankfully, I did not respond in like kind, but disappeared to my classroom quickly.

Once there, I called my husband and relayed all the infractions from this co-worker of mine before him once again.

“Maybe it is time you went to the upper management with this issue,” my husband said over the phone.

I agreed. Maybe it was time.

So, do you want to know what I did?

I decided to type up an email right then and there, explaining everything this teacher has done to me since the beginning of the school year.

And I carbon copied all the upper management and some other teachers who I thought might want to be filled in on what has been happening.

Then, I sat back and re-read my masterpiece.

Gulp. Something didn’t feel right.

What was the Holy Spirit trying to tell me???

The Holy Spirit was saying…”Caution! Caution! This is not right! This is not wisdom!”

Somehow, my fury subsided, and I listened to that still small voice…

Sensing something wasn’t “right” about this, I turned away from my computer and faced the other direction.

Grabbing my Gideon Bible, I opened to the book of Proverbs because this book contrasts the wise and the foolish.

I turned to chapter 29 because it was March 29th. I thought this was the fastest way to know what was the ‘right’ thing to do.

Sure enough, when I reached Proverbs 29:11, I read, “A fool vents all of his feelings, but a wise person holds it back.”

Thankfully, the Lord answered me with what was the "right" thing to do in this situation.

“To hold back my feelings.”

So, I deleted the email.

Later that night while driving home from my other job at the office, I lifted a prayer to the Lord.

I asked Him to help me the next day.

This teacher was going to be in recess again and I needed wisdom in knowing what to do.

The Lord gently spoke to me to be a “diffuser” and diffuse the tension in the situation.

I knew exactly what He was telling me to do.

A diffuser is a unit you pour essential oils in, and after turning it on, it dispenses relaxing scents into the air.

He wanted me to be filled with His Spirit and “diffuse” the situation with humility.

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love, (Ephesians 4:2).

The next day at recess, I brought my class into the gym and walked up to this teacher with a yielded heart of humility.

This teacher looked at me with surprise. She was fully expecting me to have an attitude with her.

Instead, I offered to help her. “Is there anything you need help with?” I asked.

She immediately apologized, “Oh, I am so sorry for lashing out at you yesterday! I was under so much pressure, and I didn’t mean to do that.”

I told her I understood and that if she needed any help, I would be there for her.

This was the turning point of our relationship.

Because I sought wisdom from above, then received direction from the Lord --and obeyed His prompting –I became a vessel of honor filled with His Spirit.

A vessel of honor that was filled with the sweet nature of the Lord. Diffusing His essence. Bringing glory to His name.

On the last day of school I said my goodbyes, for I would not be returning to teach the following year.

This teacher who treated me poorly for most of the school year, approached me, and told me, “It was a joy working with you. You will be missed.”

Wow! What a miracle!

Both of us ended the school year well! Praise the Lord!

There is so much blessing when we seek Him first before doing anything!

A few months later, my husband was admitted into the local hospital for several days.

It was the start of a long journey of an undiagnosed health condition.

My daughter and her baby wanted to visit with him, but the baby couldn’t go inside the hospital.

So, I sat out on a bench with Levi and fed him his bottle.

A lady who was waiting for the bus, sat near me and we began to talk.

She shared her woes with me, and I expressed sympathy for what she was facing.

After a while, she turned to me and said, “There is something different about you."

"Something beautiful in the words you speak, and the way you hold that baby. Are you a Christian? Do you have the Holy Spirit?”

This woman was being touched by the spirit of the Lord that was being dispersed through my conduct, behavior, and my conversation –and I had no idea I was affecting her!

How many people do we effect with our good or bad behavior???

This woman was touched so deeply by my conduct that she expressed a desire to visit our church, which she eventually did.

As Christians, we need to remember we are the light of the world (even in a Christian school setting).

We may be the only “Christ” someone will ever see.

Our label is “Christian” –which means, “little Christs.”

And we should conduct ourselves as “little Christs” in our home, workplace, community, and our church.

Diffusing the essence of Christ through all we say and do.

Being a vessel of honor that brings glory to the Lord.

Let us be careful to walk in meekness of wisdom and humility before God and man.

I made a good choice last year when I determined to seek the Lord first in all I set out to do.

Then, another good choice, when I chose to listen to Him.

And, thirdly, another good choice was made, when I chose to obey what He was speaking to me.

Who is wise among you? Let him shew it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom, James 3:13.

Ephesians 3:19 reads, In these last days Christ and His fulness will be seen and demonstrated in and through His people, will you be one of them?

But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and vessels of silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor. Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel of honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared unto every good work, (2 Timothy 2:20-21, NKJ).

I heard this quote the other day while listening to my BBN app,

"If you have the love of God in your heart then you have the love of people in your heart too."

Let us be those that express the love of God in all we say and do on this Valentine's Day and throughout the whole year.

Blessings!

Angie

My Sun & Shade Ministries

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