Kindness in Action: The Challenge of Practicing #Kindness in Middle School

This past week, while substitute teaching at the local middle school, a couple of kids came up to me at lunch fussing about how somebody stole their seats at the table. The ones fussing had even reserved their seats by placing food and other items on the seats.

They complained about how they always sit in certain seats:

“I sit beside so-and-so.”

“I sit across from so-and-so.”

“I sit here, so so-and-so can sit there.”

And on and on it went. There was even an explanation of how they sit where they do so another kid who often is picked on can sit with them. The irony is that while all this was going on, the boy got up and went and sat somewhere else.

Our local public schools have adopted a motto of #kindness. Being in the classroom regularly for the past year and a half, I am amazed at how unkind some people can be. Not necessarily to random kids, but to each other.

To their so-called friends.

They complain about not getting their way. They complain about how the other got them in trouble. They sell one another out for their own benefit.

My statement to numerous classes is “It is amazing how quickly you will sell the other out to save yourself.”

The other irony in this particular situation is that it was #kindness day where all the public schools (K-12th grade) all wore their #kindness shirts. It was also Olweus day - which is an anti-bullying program.

This is not to pick on this one school because I love our local middle school and I love these kids. It is just interesting how much kindness is emphasized to them and they still don’t practice it.

It is something they know. It is not something they always use.

Hebrews 5:14 says, “But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.”

This verse wraps up a section of Scripture where the author is warning believers not to fall away from what they have learned. The author is emphasizing the need to keep on trying to understand. A few verses earlier, it is mentioned that the author has more to teach, but the hearer no longer tries to understand.

Solid food is for those growing and maturing.

Are we really growing? Are we maturing in our faith? Are we stagnant? Are we trying to understand?

I know a lot of people who have great questions about the Bible, theology, prophecies, and interpretations. Some of them are more fascinated with the accumulation of facts and random details than truly knowing the God they are chasing facts about.

They are exposed to the words. The program. But the reality is that they’re understanding is simple - spiritual milk.

The crazy thing is that they look like spiritual giants. Their food appears to be solid.

But let us not miss the final part of the verse, “…who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.”

Do you know a lot about Jesus? Do you know a lot about God’s Word?

Or do you constantly build your relationship with Jesus? Do you constantly use God’s Word in your own life?

Let’s put it this way, “Are you a Christian with 50 years of experience? Or are you a Christian with 1 year of experience fifty times?”

There is a difference.

The middle school kids described above have all the tools. They have all the information. The problem is that they are not constantly using the information and the tools they have.

When it comes to our relationship with Christ, are you?

Anyway, I was just thinking…