Filled with The Spirit -- Topped off with Respect

When I was covering a US History class at Leuzinger High School, I started walking in the Spirit of God. I realized that I did not have to settle for the fears and upsets which can so easily beset us.

I was learning that I do not listen to my feelings, but rather I listen to the word of God, and I learn to walk in peace, that in no way did I have to live in fear and worry about the next day, or the next period.

When I sensed that I was getting a little jittery, convinced that I was somehow starting to slip away from God’s grace and power, I just began praying – Give me more of Your Holy Spirit, give me more of your Holy Spirit.”

The students came into the class, talking out loud, refusing to listen. No respect, no honor for me, the substitute teacher. The student teacher, who had taught during the previous two periods, told me to be prepared. The class was very chatty as a rule, and the full-time teacher had a hard time keeping them in line long enough to get them to quiet down.

For the first five minutes, I tried to get the students attention. I asked for their attention three times, and three times I cold not get the students to be quiet.

I strode over to the other side of the room, saying, “All right, let’s make a deal.” Then one of the students blurted out, “Hey, Howie Mandel! Let’s make a deal.”

I must admit, having no hair on my head, with a slight five-o'clock shadow could lead to a casting call for "America's Got Talent." At that point, I was in no mood for the jokes.

Then I just snapped. “If you want to be a smart-ass, I’ll throw you out, and we can forget the movie, instead you can just write an essay for the whole period!”

The class got really quiet after that. Not a word was heard from the students.

Because I was filled with the Holy Spirit, I was not worried about consequences, because I was filled with His righteousness, I did not hold back when I got angry.

When you are established in righteousness, which we receive by the power of the Holy Spirit, we can be righteously angry, and God cause your enemies to flee seven ways.

In most public schools, the biggest enemy is reproach. Substitute teacher receive no respect, and so they are placed in the double-bind of trying to establish authority. The solution, though, is not to earn respect, for that is a never-ending treadmill of failure. If you have to earn respect, then it’s not respect which you are getting from the other person in the first place.

Respect is not something that I have to earn, but rather something that I have already received, also something which I am called to keep receiving:

(Romans 5: 17) – Righteousness is the highest respect that we can receive, meaning that before God we are forever justified! When I was praying for more of the Holy Spirit, in effect I was praying to receive more of the gift of righteousness in my life!