Being a substitute teacher has many advantages - one, which is my favorite, you have the opportunity to work with a variety of ages of children. I substitute from grades K-12 in the Catholic schools in my area. Some subs will not do that - they have their favorite and will only sub for those grades, but I'm open and willing to sub any grade.I have found it interesting in what the students get upset about - when they cry about some injustice - which for students from Kindergarten to about 4th grade seems to be everything. For instance - when the younger classes are lining up - they will argue, push and shove each other about the order which they are to stand in line - who get's closer to the front, or another is when it's to be quiet reading time, who gets to set in the comfy chair or on the special carpet. My response to them has been "in 20 years from now will it matter where you stood in line today?" The younger kids will say "no" but don't really get my question - it's hard for them to think of time - they are more about the here in now. The older kids do get my question - I even heard one student say it to another one. This made me smile.
Today, in my continue study of the Gospels (I'm currently studying Matthew) I came to the part where they ask Jesus about paying temple tax - Matthew 17:24-27. The writers of the reflection gives great insight to what is really going on. The temple tax was a requirement of every person to pay each year, it's profits goes to the upkeep of the temple. Jesus asks Peter his thoughts on who the Kings of the Earth requires to pay a tax - subjects or foreigners. Here is where there was given some clarity. Due to translations - in Greek the "subjects" is really speaking of the King's own sons and the "foreigner" is everyone else. Jesus is asking - do the Kings tax their own sons. The answer is "no". So in essence - does Jesus (Son of God) need to pay the tax. Here is where we find Jesus "choosing his battles so to speak" he agrees to pay the tax by sending Peter out to catch a fish - in that fish's mouth will be a coin that would pay the tax for both Jesus and Peter. Jesus uses the terms "so not to offend". The reflection author notes that paying this particular tax does not offend or violate any of Jesus' moral principals.
This Gospel gave me pause and lead me to think and question - what are my moral principals - what is important to fight over and what is not? For each person this will be a different answer. But I do believe that what ever the answer is - it will not change over time - so that in 20 years it will matter where you stood on this particular subject. It goes to our character - who we really are deep down - who we want to be. And it made me think of a good way to determine what to do - "would I want this on my tombstone?" "She had a great faith in God" or "she was great at belittling someone who dist her on FaceBook?" I think you know my answer.
We are living in stressful times to say the least, but it should not change our core values - in fact it is a time for those values to shine forth.
