Tea and Sympathy
Photo Credit
Year ago, Mayra and I befriended a novice teacher who sat with us each day in the teacher’s workroom during 3rd period planning. His quick wit served him well in the trenches with teenagers at first.
Unfortunately, his dry humor was a rather unsuccessful disciplinary tool for the long haul. Managing the unruly started to take a toll on him as the year wore on. We offered advice and prayers in hopes of rallying his spirits.
Our disheartened friend finally crashed when he ended up face to face with a very disgruntled parent during an after-school conference. He gave us the “play by play” of how the meeting had transpired the following morning.
The brutal details of the exchange made my stomach turn.
I honestly don’t remember much of what he said, but one tidbit from his story has remained firmly implanted in my memory. When the meeting was over, he debriefed with an administrator who had passively chaired the conference.
“What advice did he offer?” I remember asking.
“He didn’t say much,” my weary friend responded. “He basically got up, closed his briefcase, and suggested that a cup of tea might make me feel better. And, then he left for the weekend.”
We laughed in disbelief.
The last few weeks of the school year, we put on our Mother Hen hats and tried to protect our wounded baby teacher. Daily, we tried to help him to spread his wings and fly.
Sadly, our friend found teaching was not his cup of tea. He decided to move back home at the end of year, and his teaching career came to a close. On the last day of school, he presented us each with a tea cup card to thank us for supporting him through a difficult season.
I think about him often.
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Recently, I’ve read the brutal details of sad exchanges on Social Media. My heart grows weary of the unkindness. How am I to respond? I could sit back and do nothing — that would be the easy way out. My selfish heart wants to close up my heart, turn off the screen, and offer Pharisaical platitudes as I walk away.
I want to do nothing. It’s not my problem, really. Right?
But then I open up my Bible and read the words of the Apostle Paul. He is sitting in prison, and his heart is reaching out to two Philippian sisters in Christ who cannot seem to get along. He speaks wisdom to them: “…Agree in the Lord,” he exhorts. “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your graciousness be known to everyone. The Lord is near” (Phil 4:2, 4-5, HCSB).
The Lord is near, so we are called to be
- gracious
- gentle
- reasonable
- unselfish
- considerate
- forebearing
- yielding
- peaceable
- equitable
- patient
- humble
- meek
- kind
Offer warmth and revive the soul of your fellow man.
Be someone’s cup of tea today.
Something to think about…
Thanks for the heads up about Nancy’s story — and for your story about our calling as Christians. Something to think about as I sip my tea right now.
Enjoy!
Social media can be a beast, and once those words are published it’s a done deal and you can’t go back again.
Heavy conversations and serious issues just can’t be clearly resolved while tapping away on a keyboard. Why do we do this?
Sigh …
Because it is easy to hide behind a screen.
I feel for your teacher friend. I was an education major, but by the time I got to student teaching my senior year I felt the same way, that teaching was not for me. Discipline was one of the hardest areas. For a while I felt I had wasted all that time and money at college, but came to see God has used it – just not in the way originally thought.
Grace in dealing with other people should be natural for us since we have been shown such grace in Christ when we were so undeserving. I don’t know why we forget to treat each other with kindness so easily. Thanks for the reminder.
Yes, I pray that He will give me eyes of grace.
It sounds like you were definitely that man’s cup of tea, you and your friend. Nicely done, Lyli! I’m saddened, but not surprised by the social media attacks and confrontations. It is the state of of our world right now. I’m thankful to know we are headed to a better place. I ache for the people who do not know Him and are without Hope. Have a blessed weekend!
Let’s be hope bearers. 🙂
Lyli, I so appreciate your insights in this post about social media & unkindness. I still am trying to navigate the waters of social media. One thing I am grateful for is your kindness & gentleness at all times. May God continue to use you & bless you in the days to come!
You are such an encourager, sweet friend. Thankful for you. 🙂
I’m glad you were able to be there for the young teacher. As my daughter begins teaching her own class this week, I pray for older teachers who will mentor her in the same way. I hope that this man was able to find a career that he felt better suited for.
Praying for her, Lisa. How exciting!
Oh, yes, Lyli – so simply, eloquently put – “be someone’s cup of tea.” I can do that! I can!
Lord, help me to not be passive.
I totally understand your teacher friend’s dilemma education is very difficult because there are so many different things that you have to deal with at the same time. I am glad that you were there to offer kindness to him. Because a lot of times people especially new teachers have to go through these things alone without any comfort or support. I am also a high school educator. This is my 14th year and I want to make a effort this year to reach out to the new-teacher that may just need some kindness shown to them while they navigate through a new school, new people, and just an overall new situation. Thanks for the encouraging words.
Hope you have a great year, Tona. I am no longer teaching high school, but I did for 17 years. These days I oversee the undergraduate faculty at a cozy campus for adults (or big kids!).
Good advice, Lyli 🙂