Eight Lessons

I will instruct you and show you the way you should walk, give you counsel and watch over you. Psalm 32:8​

Last year the 6th grade middle lovelies started a tradition that we were happy to continue last week.  They use their last all school Eucharistic Adoration to leave their younger peers with some lessons.  It’s a marvelous opportunity to think back on all they’ve learned about being a Disciple of Jesus and pass on that knowledge.  The little kids are great listeners and the prayer time is action packed and powerful.  I thought I’d share a few little snippets of their wisdom with all of you today because they were amazing, and as a teacher, I just cried because I am so proud of them and honored to have been a part of their journey.

Lesson 1 - Be kind…even when God is the only one watching, because he is always watching.  The most simple act of kindness is a smile and we can all do that.  

Lesson 2 - Make good choices…life or death are the choices we have.  Life choices are the ones that lead us to heaven and please God, death choices are the ones that lead us away from Jesus.

Lesson 3 - Love hard…Jesus said so.  He’ll never ask us to love each other as hard as he loved us so we have a  pretty easy job. Love your friends and love your enemies, thats it!  Plus, he will give you the grace to do it when it's hard. When we plant the smallest seed of love God can take that seed and turn it into something huge and amazing.

Lesson 4 - Trust…God is constantly putting people in our path to help us when we stumble and loose our way but we’re usually too busy to notice it for what it is…a loving hand from God. 

Lesson 5 - We are His Beloved…we need to act like we know it.  We spend too much time wishing we had the gifts and talents He gave other people and we forget we have exactly the ones we need to do what he’s asking us to do.  

Lesson 6 -Serve - God asks us to serve each other.  Just like Jesus washed the feet of his Apostles at the last supper, we are called to care for and serve others.  They chose to highlight the loving service they have seen every day by Sue, our fabulous school secretary.  They even prepared a skit about a boy with a bloody nose and Sue swooping in to serve and love and help.

Lesson 7 - Be Thankful…our prayer is like a Christmas list of wishes instead of an offering of thanks and we need to change that.  We have to be aware of the people, places and things God puts in our life to bring us happiness, blessings and comfort.  The lovelies took this opportunity to call each teacher up by name and give them a gift and highlight one way that teacher had shown them what true discipleship looks like.

Lesson 8 - Life…respect it, protect it and value it.  We are on this earth to do his work and if we give our life to him things will be perfect; not always easy, but perfect in his eyes. The only way we can truly live life well is if we keep Christ at the center of our life.  In a completely tear rendering moment, all 35 of them silently flooded onto the altar and knelt around the Blessed Sacrament in a circle of prayer as a symbol of what it looks like to keep Jesus in the center of our life.

These kids are 12 and they amazed me.  They have a thirst and a knowledge and a desire to draw close and hold tight to the Lord and they shared that with the whole school in a dramatic and  powerful way.  I just have to say once again, I have the greatest job in the world!  I hope their lessons just might hit your heart today too.

A Seed To Plant:  Pick one of the 8 lessons to work on as you set out on a mission to grow in holiness.

Blessings on your day!