We Taught This:
When
you were a little kid, did you ever try to light something on fire using a
magnifying glass? Did you love sitting around a campfire? Or dream about the
day when you’d be old enough to light the fireworks yourself? It seems there’s
something in all of us that is fascinated by the power of fire. But along with
that power comes a lot of responsibility. Depending on how it is used, fire has
the power to make our lives better or to destroy everything we care about. But
flames aren’t the only things with that kind of power. The Bible teaches that
our words, our comments, and our conversations, can have a lot in common with
fire. We’ve all seen how words used recklessly can quickly get out of control
and leave everything a charred mess. But imagine what would be possible if we
began using the power in our words for something good and beautiful instead?
What if instead of using our words to destroy, we used them to build something
amazing?
Think
About This:
Have
you ever noticed how sometimes one little thing going wrong can ruin your
entire day? Or maybe you’ve noticed the opposite. One small gesture, one kind
word, one solid compliment can turn a rotten day into a good one.
In
their book, How Full Is Your Bucket,
Donald Clifton and Tom Rath talk about how our daily interactions with people
have the power to shape our lives—for better or for worse. They say that we all have a bucket and
everything negative done to us, and everything negative we do to others works
to empty our bucket—poisoning our outlook. At the same time, every positive
interaction that we give or receive fills our buckets and improves the way we
view the world.
These
two authors believe that the daily effort made to fill our buckets (by choosing
positive words and actions) could potentially determine a direction for our
lives and the lives of those around us.
Whether
you buy into this idea completely or not, it’s hard to argue with the power of
positivity when you see it in action. And what if they are on to something? What if becoming more intentional about making
optimistic choices does intensely impact the relationships we have with those
closest to us? Or what if it actually does
impact our productivity at work and at home?
Would
you be willing to try filling your bucket (and consequently your student’s
bucket) with positive words and actions this week? Make it an experiment.
Maybe, it will impact the quality of your day. Maybe it will improve the emotional
climate of your home.
Maybe
it won’t.
But
why not try? What’s the worst that could happen?
Try
This
For
whatever reason, the people that mean the most to us are often the ones we have
the hardest time encouraging. This week, try working to change that.
This
week, try telling your student just how proud
of them you really are.
- Choose the time of day: Maybe it’s best to talk to them in the morning. Maybe after school. Maybe in the car. Maybe before bed.
- Choose the method: You can send a text, write a note they’ll find in their backpack, or say it to their face.
Whatever
you decide to do, simply make the effort this week to fill your student’s
bucket—and when you do, you just may be surprised at how full your own gets in
return.
Get connected to a wider community of parents at www.orangeparents.org.
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