Article August 15, 1994 Issue

Love— it's the better way

Ann L. Grauberger

A Difficult challenge can turn into a wonderful reward when we learn to love in the way Christ Jesus taught us. Loving in this way can begin to break through even the most difficult behavior problems and help us see what is truly lovable in people who seem to be unlikable. Christ Jesus urged us, "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you" (Matt. 5:44). He reminded us that it isn't hard to love the ones who are kind, generous, and loving to us; the challenge comes in loving those who seem to be doing hateful and even violent things. It's not that we love the violence or hate, but we can learn to see the man of God's creating, love that man, and find this love to be a transforming power.

I had an experience that proved the wisdom and benefit of Jesus' counsel. I had started the school year at a new school, teaching third grade. It was a wonderful school, and I began with eagerness and enthusiasm. But when the children started to come to school, it was apparent that we didn't have enough students to justify the number of teachers we had on the staff. Since I had the fewest years of service, I was the one to leave. I had to go to another school one week after the year started. Not only that, but I was to be teaching fifth grade instead of third. I had never taught fifth grade before. The school was in a much rougher neighborhood than my previous school. I was angry at the system, angry at the first principal who had hired me without adequate enrollment to justify my position, angry at the principal at the new school, angry at the other teachers, and even angry at the students.

It wasn't long before it became apparent that I had been given what seemed some of the most difficult students. I struggled to use all the behavior-management strategies I had learned from my education classes and some I thought up myself. But nothing seemed to be working very well. No one seemed to be learning much, especially me. I knew there had to be a better way to handle this.

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