Even the interns

So i teach a jr high sunday school class and i get asked a lot "isn't that a pain to do?" They are referring to lack of attention in students today.  I love my class and the students in there make me laugh each week with something new. They are loud disruptive ADHD (seriously some are) and just not interested in coming. I understand what they are saying when they call it a pain tho.  You are teaching a class you have a lesson and if you are passionate about your lesson you want everyone to get what you say. And thats just not going to happen in a room of about 20 jr highers who don't even like each other that much.

But even so i consider that class more joy than pain.  Mostly just cuz they are young and i know they are listening and just trying to figure out little stuff.  Instead of how they should live in freedom they will be more concerned with a story of mine about a security job i once had. Either way i don't have a problem with it.  I will tell the kids i don't take cell phones just don't hide them. So they are distracted on trying to hide that they aren't paying attention.  I like the honesty.

I did however saw something today that made me think that would be a pain. I am in an internship with a few other young men and women aiming for ministry as a calling on their lives, maybe as a career.  This morning a student was doing a devotion. (a short lesson about God, the bible, our lives, or whatever) While doing her devotion I saw something that almost made me say something afterwards, not in love.  In a room of 5 students 1 teaching,  2 interns where on their phones.  Usually i like to think people are on the bible apps but i could see from where i was sitting that what was on the small screen was not a bible.  It was Facebook and looking at pictures of a little party from a few days ago.  Now if anyone should be good at listening to a speaker it should be the people getting into ministry right?

Now I'm not trying to judge  cuz the fact is true i saw this and was distracted myself, so i missed a bit too.  I am trying to point out that in a room of close friends people can't pay attention to each other very long.  SO how can anyone expect middle school students to do any better.  If we don't show a much higher standard the kids will stay where they are as well.

I was challenged by this thought today that if i want people to do something i have to do it first.  If i want people to listen, i need to listen first. If i want people to grow, I need to grow first.  Very much a lead by example focused morning.  Plus what the devo said about living in unity by love. Extra free nugget there.