The closer I get, walking on the dirty, white tiled floors, the stronger the smell is. Lifting my skirt as I walk up the brown-splattered steps, my nose begins to tingle. At one end of the hallway, the source of the stench is revealed: a Buddhist shrine. An elaborate display of white candles, burnt red incense sticks, and a golden Buddha drew the attention of every person who walked by. Looking past the sight, I saw the door to my classroom. The room where my students were, waiting patiently for me to teach them English.
Some days it’s easy to allow emotions to blind me from seeing the blessings God has set before me. Some days I see the blessings but take them for granted. I say I’m too tired to teach. I say I’m too inadequate to teach. I say others would be better than me. That’s when I take my feelings and bring them to the Lord, asking Him to renew and sustain me. He led me to Hebrews 12:1-2, “Let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.”
Each step I take towards my classroom, I feel the Lord sustaining me. But I also know He is, even if I don’t feel it. Psalm 3:5 says, “I lie down and sleep; I wake again because the Lord sustains me.” That’s a promise. I just have to open my eyes and humble myself.
As my pace quickens in excitement to see my students again, my heart beats fast because of my new, genuine love for them. I realized that I wasn’t there to teach them English at all. God placed me in that room for two months to teach them how special they are; to teach them how to love others because they are special, too.
I stop in front of room 206, book in hand, with bags under my eyes. My voice is froggy and I can barely breathe due to the incense. And I choose joy. I choose to delight in my Creator. I say, “yes, Lord, you have given me these kids for a reason. You know I am tired, but you are sustaining me to do Your will today. This is the day You have made, help me rejoice and be glad in it. I love You.”
I open the wooden door, and the air conditioning washes over my sticky skin. Immediately, I see the beaming smiles of my uniformed students and hear their ecstatic squeals as they jump for joy. My heart is instantly filled and I stand there in utter amazement of my Savior. They all stand, girls in their pink button downs, boys in their white, and exclaim, “Good morning Teacha! How are you today?” I good. So, so good! More than you know.
I pull out the book under my arm, carefully open it up, and read the title out loud, emphasizing each word. “You are special.”
