So, take a look at this crayon one of my students found the other day. Look closely...no you are not mistaken. Its a crayon, with the appropriate paper, but...what's that label say again? Right...white, but I'm pretty sure that's a black crayon.
This led to a very interesting conversation with my students...
I asked them what color the crayon was...black.
What does the wrapper tell you about the crayon...that it's black.
Now look at the label...white!
The next part is where it gets interesting. My students instantly want me to draw with the crayon...thinking that it should color white. When I showed them that the crayon marked black they then went on this super creative suggestion spree...
Maybe if you color over something it will be white...
Maybe if you use a different color paper it will be white...
Maybe...Maybe...Maybe....
Even though my students had all the information to know that the crayon was black...the label was that convincing. So much so that they went way outside the box to justify the white label on the black crayon.
Which made me think...
Aren't adults the same way? It is amazing to me what people will believe...especially about another person, based on a label.
And what happens
when the label is wrong...
So, I have this puppy...her name is India and she is the cutest thing ever. But she is still a puppy. This being translated means that I spend a lot of time repeating myself...and I do mean a LOT.
India sit
India off
India down
India no
I'm reading that the more calm/firm/consistent I am with my commands to her the better/sooner she will learn them. We'll see. But I'm doing my best.
So, the other day, I'm having my quiet time and my roommate was painting. India was feeling very left out and wanted to have some attention so she kept trying to get up on me. It went something like this...
India off
India sit
India down
Good girl
She would lay there for a few min. sometimes even playing with a toy for a bit before getting up and doing it all over again. In the beginning it was almost a constant cycle with no stopping.
After a while, my roommate says to me, laughing...I don't know how you're doing that and staying so calm. And almost without thinking I responded...because I know she will get it. She's just a puppy. She wants the attention, but she can't have it right now. Eventually as she grows up she will obey the commands because I am consistent and kind with them now.
Which later made me think...that's exactly what my Savior does. I've been thinking a lot lately about why He would continue to work in me when I seem to do the same things over and over again. Don't get me wrong...I'm more creative than the dog in this...but at the core, I commit the same sort of sins over and over. I've wondered why it is that Jesus seems to continue to cover me with grace and call me to great things when this is the case.
I'm like the dog...
I'm in a puppy phase with Him right now. The idea that He has a call on my life that is bigger than myself is relatively new to me. It has changed my perspective on just about everything...which is good. But it scares the begeezus out of me, and that brings out my "go-to" human nature...which He calmly/firmly/consistently redirects. He seems to think that eventually I will get it. That I will embrace the call and what it means and I will mature in my response to it.
Interesting....
When it comes right down to it...
I'm just a puppy
So, take a look at this crayon one of my students found the other day. Look closely...no you are not mistaken. Its a crayon, with the appropriate paper, but...what's that label say again? Right...white, but I'm pretty sure that's a black crayon.