All the time

God is good all the time.

This week I was acting as principal for a day. These are always chaotic days because not only are you trying to teach your class, with the help of an extra assistant, but you have to deal with all the crap that is happening in the school. The morning ran very smoothly but the afternoon had a bit of a different atmosphere. One of the junior high students had a bit of a break down. He would not participate in PE. He broke the fire exit sign. He swore at one of the teachers. He started to break our only shelf for shoes at the secondary end. He refused to go to class. He refused to come talk at the office. He refused to leave the school. When asked what he wanted, he said, "Nothing. I want to be left alone." Yet in his mood, we could not leave him alone because of the danger he could put himself in and the school in. And yet he didn't want to leave the school where he would have truly been left alone.

The whole time this was happening I felt no anger towards this young man. Only deep compassion and worry over the pain written all over his face and body language. In front of me was a young man with such deep hurt and anger, he could not articulate it or discern what it was that he needed. In front of me was a trapped young person with no place to go. And my heart ached for him. All I wanted to do was take him in my arms and tell him that it would be OK. There was a way of escape. There was someone who loved him and could heal his deep wounds. The hug though would have been inappropriate so I treated him with a gentleness that is not in me. A gentleness and wisdom that could only come from God.

God is good all the time. All the time God is good.