IQ #262 (My Bad)

The serve comes over the net, the player in the back row returns the serve with a direct bump to the setter, and the setter sends the volleyball to the corner without any rotation on the ball. The outside hitter smashes the ball to the opponent’s floor. Perfect execution! Nope. The setter set the ball over the net and the opponent’s outside hitter hit the ball. Side out and point for the opposition. The setter looks at his teammates and says, “My bad.”

The young student is having trouble understanding the math problem. Help comes and instructs the student to multiply two adjacent side’s inches of the rectangle, then the square inches of the rectangle will be known. The student comprehends and proceeds to find the correct answer. Perfect? Nope. The math problem was to find the perimeter’s length in inches. The embarrassed instructor says, “Oops. My bad”

 The duo readies the crowd for the first song, a tempo is given and the person leading the singing hears chords from the guitarist that don’t match the song the singer has. The singer looks over at the guitarist’s music and the words on the screen and they match. The singer has the wrong music up, but quickly corrects the situation, just in time to sing the first words, avoiding a ‘My bad’ situation.

In a 24 hour period I managed to do all three of those ‘My bad’ moments. It was all good though.  It was the eighth volleyball game of the night and we were all tired. After my misplaced set to the other side one of my teammates asked me in a joking way, “Whose side are you playing on?” It was a laughing moment. We were all friends that come together each week to have fun in a game we love to play. 

Even though my lapse in memory on what was being taught was an honest mistake it was not damaging to the student’s learning. The student did learn the correct way to find the total distance of an object’s perimeter, and is now prepared for finding the area of an object when that section of math is covered.

When given the chance to lead the songs during worship you want your first note to be on pitch and the first word sung be the one everyone else is singing. Fortunately, the correction was made in time and all went well… Well, I did have a moment in another song. While singing a high note in another song, my voice cracked in a way that reminded me of that time in life where many boys must deal with the changes in their voice as they enter their teen years. A few laughs were heard, which was fine. We were all friends in Christ. Young and old(er). 

But, what about the more serious times when you mess up? How do you respond when you do or say something the affects another person(s) in a harmful way. Do you quickly see the error in your action and respond with, “I’m sorry (My bad)”? If you aren’t immediately aware of your wrongful behavior, but are informed about it later, will you have the decency to make time to apologize to the person(s)?

Our society has become more and more bent on blaming someone else instead of taking ownership of any wrong doing. I see it in the leadership of this country. I see it in the media. I see it in the parental leadership of our children and I see it in our children.

Do not get me wrong. I am not saying every leader, media source, parent and child are at fault, but if you are paying attention and observant, you will see this ‘blame others’ excuse running rampant across our nation.

This past week an incident happened at a job site where someone had done something wrong and harmful toward another person and was reprimanded for it. Later that day a relative of the person reprimanded came up to the person that was harmed and instead of apologizing for what had happened, put the blame on the harmed person and then continued in a rant that included making violent threats. Police were called. The person that had been harmed, then threatened, decided to quit the job for fear of safety. This case has not been totally resolved, but a lot was lost. Simply saying, “I am sorry (My bad), I should not had done that,” would have settled the issue.

A young child called an adult a liar in front of people that knew what was being talked about and that the child was deeply wrong. Instead of saying, “I’m sorry (My bad)”, proceeded to become defensive. Hearts were broken and a young child now faces severe punishment. 

As followers of Jesus Christ, and with faith and trust in God Almighty, you are called to a higher standard of living and that includes accepting any errors or sins you make. Fess up (“My bad”) when you have done wrong, ask for forgiveness.  Seek out the truth and the light will shine upon you.

John 3:19-21

¹⁹ This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. ²⁰ Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. ²¹ But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.

Many people do not want their lives exposed to God’s light because they are afraid of what might be revealed. 

In Matthew 26:69-75 Peter denies knowing Jesus three times. First by trying the change the subject, then by using an oath, like in a court of law, basically saying, “May God strike me dead if I am lying.” Then he began to call down curses, and he swore to them, “I don’t know the man!” Immediately a rooster crowed. ⁷⁵ Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: “Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly.

In the musical “Jesus Christ Superstar” you could feel the emotional impact and the devastation that was to follow Peter’s denial, in the dialog between Mary Magdalene and Peter:

Mary Magdalene: “Peter-don’t you know what you have said? You’ve gone and cut him dead”

Peter: “I had to do it don’t you see? Or else they’d go for me.”

Mary Magdalene: “It’s what he told us you would do- I wonder how he knew…”

The scriptures never mention if Peter ever directly said, “I’m sorry (My bad). But, Jesus knew when Peter wept bitterly in repentance about his actions, he was transformed and became a true disciple and believer in Jesus Christ. The love for Christ that Peter showed and lived from that moment changed his whole ministry for the gospel and for the glory of God.

To answer Mary Magdalene’s musical question about how Jesus knew what Peter would say, you need to know God. To know God is to understand that he created everything from heaven to Earth and beyond and as the creator, God would know all that was, that is and is to come.

Proverbs 15:3

The eyes of the Lord are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good.

God knows every inch of you inside and out, and he knows your heart, so, whenever you have a slip up in your actions, that cause any type of harm to others, admit your error and say, “I’m sorry (My bad).”

With the love of Jesus Christ,

Papa John

IQ #261 R-E-S-P-E-C-T

Greetings my Friends. The InnerQuest I am bringing to you today has a heartfelt urgency to it that may be for my own benefit, but hopefully full of value to who you are and who you will become.

Respect:

A feeling of admiring someone or something that is good, valuable, important, etc.

A feeling or understanding that someone or something is important, serious, etc., and should be treated in an appropriate way

A particular way of thinking about or looking at something 

Titus 2:6-8a

Encourage the young men (and women) to be self-controlled. In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned,

Integrity:

Firm adherence to a code of especially moral or artistic values:  incorruptibility

An unimpaired condition:  soundness

The quality or state of being complete or undivided:  completeness

Seriousness:

 Implies a concern with responsibility and work as opposed to play

This past Friday afternoon was a very tense moment for me as I and all those around me were facing a form of chaos that needed immediate addressing. Instead of following the guidelines I had been taught and set for myself, and by the rules governed to my position of authority, I lost it. I lost my cool.

When nothing else was working to control the misguided behavior I was surrounded by, I let out a voice that was heard by all in the room and most likely by people throughout our galaxy. It was deadly serious, full of anger and disappointment. In short direct words I said, “Sit down and shut up!” 

The room was immediately quiet and the situation was addressed and a more civil attitude ensued. But, it came at a cost.

Back in the early part of the year, Connie (my wife) mentioned to me that the school in which she worked could really use someone like me. The school was full of unruly students, many with behavior and emotional issues that needed one on one guidance. Teachers and other staff members were overwhelmed in being able to meet the needs and requirements to give students a proper education.

I met with the principal and we discussed the school’s needs and how my experience working with students could help ease some of those needs. A position of teacher’s aide was offered. I would be working primarily one on one with a student, and also helping out the teacher in the student’s class, as well as other teachers with their needs, when available. I accepted the offer, but it came with a cost.

The company I was previously working for would need to close its doors within a few weeks, because I was the only full time employee. (Due to economics and the changing of our industry’s nature of business, the closing of our shop was going to happen in the near future anyway. I just sped it up). This job change would also mean a significant change to my family’s finances. 

As a follower of Jesus Christ we are often called to make sacrifices for the benefit of others, and to honor God’s calling.

2 Timothy 4:1-5

In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge:  Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.

I need to be an example of everything that has been commanded to me, not only in spreading the gospel, but in areas of my life that are not directly related to any religious organization or movement. Friday I was not a good example.

“Shut up” is a phase that I have rarely ever used. In the 39 ½ years that Connie and I have known each other we could only come up with one other time. Friday’s outburst came with a cost; I lost my patience and control. Students and staff saw a side of me that really doesn’t exist in who I am over all. 

The rest of my little tirade went on like this, “That is ENOUGH!.. When the principle walked in here earlier you got quiet, but when she left you started back up. Every teacher and staff person in this school is to get that same kind of respect. Do you understand?” a few said yes. “’Yes sir!’ Is to be your response” “Yes sir.” Was their reply.

The other cost is that these students have no idea who I am, other than I am Mrs. Smith’s husband. I don’t even know if they know how great their teachers are, because from the very first day I started it has been a chaotic nightmare. Yelling, angriness, short fuses and unable to get hardly any work done, and that’s just the teachers and staff. I am part of that staff.

I literally felt sick to my stomach Friday night and my head felt like a vice was trying to make my ears touch.

I spent much time in prayer and scripture reading with a determination that I will not fall into that trap again. The school needs the abilities that I have been given and trained in. The road won’t be easy, but I have an awesome guide with immense power, grace and love.

Connie said I need to use the tools I have that can be incorporated with the teacher’s lessons when the time is given. I had already thought of one thing to do. Every morning each class starts the morning reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.  I made a careful observation of this ‘practice’ and I personally think it is a wasted opportunity to learn and recall, because they are unaware of what it really means and stands for. 

I looked up Red Skelton’s ‘Commentary on the Pledge of Allegiance’. I have seen this video many times and believe everyone should see this video or read the transcript. It is powerfully said and written, and it is who we are or to be as American citizens.

A few hours later, a dear friend posted that same video on Facebook. God must be speaking to me.

I will have the audio ready and the commentary printed out for Monday morning, and with the permission of the teacher I will present the pledge to them in a new light, so whenever they say the Pledge of Allegiance they will know its meaning. 

These students come from backgrounds very different from mine. I am knowledgeable of the types of lives they are living, but I have never lived their life. I cannot expect them to be like me, so I need to give them a level of respect to where we can communicate in a way that provides good growth in each student. The students must also give respect to the teachers and staff so that they can learn in the best way possible. The students must also show respect for each other.

I will continue to respect God’s calling for me and weather any storms that come my way. I put my trust and faith in God and he has seen me through everything, good and bad.

James 1:2-5                                                                                                               Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.

“R-E-S-P-E-C-T, Find out what it means to me. R-E-S-P-E-C-T. Take care. TCB”

With the love of Jesus Christ,

Papa John 3:05:16

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZBTyTWOZCM     (Red Skelton video)