You Are Not Too Bad

When I graduated from college with a bachelor’s degree in secondary education, I was ready to make high school English every student’s favorite subject. (I can hear some of you laughing and/or groaning!) I quickly realized that English students can be categorized in several ways. Some loved English classes, while others hated them. Many just tolerated them. The majority did not love them by any stretch of the imagination. Now what?

In high school, I loved English classes, so I tried to figure out how I could love something when so many disliked it. Almost immediately, I realized that I loved to read, which gave me a significant advantage. Reading took me to different places and times, and as a small-town girl from South Dakota, I was ready to travel. Problem solved! I just had to convince my new students that reading is fun!

Uh-oh, some of my students were struggling readers with skills significantly below their grade level. The books they could read didn’t interest them, and they called them “little kid books.” Part of the problem was that the students who lacked skills thought they didn’t like reading. It was difficult; therefore, they avoided it. My task was to find age-appropriate books that had a simpler reading level. There were resources available online, so I utilized them. As their skills improved, their interest in English class increased. It didn’t work for everyone. Some were unwilling to even consider the possibility that they could become better readers and enjoy the benefits that came with that.

This reminds me of a story I heard from a school employee who was asked by a student where he went to church. After answering, the staff member asked the student where he went to church. “I’m too bad to go to church,” the boy replied. There was no convincing him otherwise, just like I couldn’t persuade some students to believe they could enjoy reading.

Similarly, Vonnie in My Portion Forever, the novel I wrote, also held a similar belief. She asks Sarah if David in the Bible was perfect because he said the Lord would never leave those who come to Him. Sarah told her David wasn’t perfect, but God loved him anyway. We don’t have to possess any special skills or be perfect in any way when we come to the Father. He accepts us where we are. His son, Jesus, has already paid the price for us. All we must do is ask for forgiveness and trust in Him.

“For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.” Romans 3:23 (NIV)

Don't let shame or condemnation hold you back from enjoying the loving presence of your Heavenly Father today.