I have the privilege of mentoring a couple of elementary students through 2 different schools. One is an effort of our church, in which I mentor a kindergartner, and the other is my local elementary school, in which I mentor a 4th grader.
When I initially started out, I was told this 4th grader is a good 1-2 grade levels behind everyone else. On the board there was a sheet of assignments that students had left to do. You would see a couple of names, and even a couple of names with multiple assignments here and there. In the left hand corner though, from a distance, looked like a novel with a bunch of scratches on it. It was my 4th grader's assignments he had to make up. It was twice as long as the others combined. I can't imagine how this kid felt being reminded every day that he's stupid (as he had heard from his siblings and some of his classmates all of time).
So, needless to say, we have a long road ahead. I've been working with him for about 7-8 weeks now, and there is a particular story I want to share with you.
There was a Social Studies test he had to pass or was told he isn't going into 5th grade. This clearly upset my 4th grader, and he had already written in his mind that he wasn't going to pass, that he was doomed to be held back, therefore confirming the voices in his head that says he is stupid.
Just the week before, when filling out a sheet about himself (he was to write his own autobiography for class), he told me that his one goal in life was to go to college. I'm sure many who would hear that (including his family) would hope that he just makes it to high school at this point.
One of the first things I told him when we met was that I would never call him dumb and stupid, because it simply isn't true. Of the many times we would work on things together, he would tell me the answer about 85% of the time. I told him he's a lot smarter than he gives himself credit for. I could see some of the confidence start to build.
Back to the test. We studied hard for this thing. I drilled him. I even went to his house to help him the night before the test. I got to meet his mother, gave her the study sheet, and told her how smart her kid was and that she needs to help him study (I'm pretty confident that maybe some of her previous efforts were not positive). She nods her head and tells me she will.
Spring break happens, I come back the next week, and ask him how he did on his test. Not only did he pass, but he got a B! He was beaming from ear to ear! Not only that, but the sheet on the board in his classrooms with all of his makeup assignments were gone, and I was told by his teacher that he no work to make up! He also told me his mom helped him study for the test! So we got to play Connect 4 most of the time. He was so proud. As was I. You could see the hope shooting out like lasers from his eyes.
Proverbs 16:24 says, "Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones." I am reminded through my 4th grader of the power of encouragement. To literally, "instill courage" into this young boy. I don't how many times I have not been encouraging to others, how I don't pursue it daily (as Hebrews 3:13 tells us to do). I look at many of these students we are mentoring, and see what a need there is for people to come along side them, to "instill courage" in them and give them hope. If you think about it, this is how the Holy Spirit is described, the Paraclete, the "one who comes alongside." Our gift is that we can be "paracletes" to these children.
I remember asking the teacher about the children's support system in her class. She told me that out of the 20 kids she has, she would say 3 of them have supportive parents. This is the reality more than the exception. There are so many kids out there who need you. I do one hour/week. That's it. That one hour has made a significant change in my 4th grader's life, because I have the privilege of coming along side of him, instilling courage, and letting him hope again that he can fulfill his dream of going to college someday. This is what shalom is about. This is how exciting life can be.
This is the gospel on display.
