Even some of the most experienced teachers were intimidated by this middle school dynamo. Her sharp tongue and aggressive behavior were known to the whole school staff. But when she started targeting two students I was tutoring, I got radical with my prayer. Our Father-Mother God is All-in-all, and loves, delights in, and guides each one of Her cherished ideas; therefore, when we love God, it must include loving God’s creation. So my prayer focused on reflecting God’s all-inclusive love and seeing the student as God sees her. On this basis, I reversed in my own thought each aggressive picture of behavioral issues by knowing and standing up for her God-given grace, energy, and intelligence.

What if all our relationships could be constructive, satisfying, and harmonious?

Out of this powerhouse of prayer, a breakthrough arose. The student demanded that I translate some insults into the native language of the students I was tutoring. I appeared to oblige, but without letting on, shared words of love instead. On hearing these unexpected words of love in their language from this student, my students laughed. When I let their confused, but also intrigued, antagonist in on what was happening, she broke into a smile, too. From that point on, the four of us, representing three different races and ethnicities, had a secret language that united us. And the spark of love that was felt grew and was genuine.