Be Nice!

Have you noticed there seems to be an epidemic of rudeness in our culture these days? Even people who work in the “service” industry seem to be more and more impatient and unkind to those they are supposed to serve. We’ve all been in stores, restaurants, waiting rooms and on telephone help lines hoping for good service and support, only to be treated with crass disrespect.

In a Turning Point daily devotional, Pastor David Jeremiah writes:
"The words influence and influenza are cousins. Leslie Flynn points out that the word influenza was introduced into English in the mid-1700s, apparently coming from the Italian who attributed the origin of his malady to an influenza di freddo (influence of the cold).

We are, by our very natures, very contagious people—our influence tends to spread to others as easily as the flu. Our attitudes are "catching." When you're cheerful, those around you become more joyful. When you're forgiving, those closest to you become more merciful. And when you're brave, those around you grow more courageous.”

Pastor Jeremiah’s words are important for us to remember as instructors of teachers. You are infecting your TCE students! Your words, attitudes and actions are contagious. If you are impatient, rude, unforgiving or unkind toward your students, they will pick up those traits like a bad cold! Then they will very likely pass them along to the children they teach. Such negative examples not only do a disservice to our students, they grieve the Holy Spirit.

God’s word says, “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you” (Ephesians 4:29-32).

As instructors of teachers, we need to be influencing our students in positive ways. We can model patience, gentleness, forgiveness and kindness. As our teachers “catch” those attitudes from us in our words and actions, they will pass them along to the children.

The question is not whether you are contagious—you are whether you know it or not! The real question is, what are you passing along to others? Are you a positive influence or a toxic influenza? In other words, just BE NICE!

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