Every couple of
weeks I assessed the reading abilities of my Kindergarteners. I called individuals to
my desk and had each one read a set of five words with various special sounds
we have been learning. Towards the end of the year, I called a student to my desk and as he came
near he shook his head and half-whispered, “I just really don’t want to do
this.”
I looked at him,
frowning to hide my amusement, and asked, “Hmm, is that a good attitude?”
His eyes widened
and he responded right away, “No—that was the Old Me. The New Me doesn’t complain.” And he went on to read all five words.
I was astonished
at his response. Sure, our memory verse for the week had been 2 Corinthians
5:17. And sure, I had been teaching them about the Old Self and the New Self, and about how Christians can only live the New Self through Jesus. But I had
not believed they were actually picking up on it. It’s amazing what happens,
what the kids pick up on, when they listen. And, sometimes more amazing, they
listen a lot more often than I realize. And things were catching on.
The question is,
what else is rubbing off on them?
