Core Scripture: “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” (Galatians 6:9)

Message: I thought I broke through!  The kid that you would least expect to do well had earned the King of the Week crown for his class.  All it took was a little positivity. 

After a disastrous day on Monday, he came back Tuesday with a fresh attitude.  He approached my desk after school. 

“Did I do good today?” he asked.

“Dude!  Yes!  You did great!” I replied.  “As a matter of fact, I was thinking about giving you an A & E card.”

That stands for “Attitude and Effort.”  The kids get recognized in front of the whole school.  He likes attention, and I told him I was going to look for reasons to give him POSITIVE attention. 

It continued the next morning.  With each good period he had with me, he pleaded for another A & E card.  After his third one in less than 24 hours, I told him he had exhausted the incentive. 

Thursday, I dropped a hint at the end of the day that he would be my nomination for King of the Week.  That meant a phone call home from me to anyone of his choice.  He picked his grandma.

Sadly, I got Grandma’s voicemail the next day, but I reminded him she could play that message as much as she wanted.  I could tell something was going awry though.  After he got to be crowned and was frustrated that Grandma didn’t answer, he took a few steps backwards. 

By the time he returned for Trojan Time at the end of the day, we had gone back to square one.  We’re talking about a major setback.  He was a disaster.  Again.  All that he had worked for that week seemed to be for nothing. 

Frustration boiled inside me.  I had told him this numerous times before, and I felt the Lord calling me to say it to him again.  I looked him dead pan in the eye.

“I am not giving up on you.” 

That scripture above was on my heart.  I couldn’t stop trying.  And I will continue trying until the final bell.  The temptation is to give up, but if I model forgiveness this week, that might just stick with him. 

What about you?  Who are you not getting through to?  What kid are you tempted to give up on?

1 Corinthians 10:13 says, “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”

Find that way out.  Find the escape!  With this kid, I want to hunt him down during Jumpstart at the beginning of the day, give him a fist bump and tell him, “Hey, last Friday afternoon is behind us.  Totally forgotten.  Let’s have a great day today!”

It will probably confuse him.  He is used to teachers having grudges against him, and although he brings much of that on himself, it is hard to give him positive attention.  But I will be looking for those opportunities. 

He may not get it this year.  Afterall, he is only a 6^th grader, and he still has some growing to do.  However, the seeds we plant today as Christ followers may be sprouting down the road.  Possibly years from now. 

I may not be there when he blooms, but I do know this: God will be glorified through what I tried to show him.  

Challenge: Find opportunities to give those tough students positive attention.  And if it blows up in your face later like it did me, DON’T GIVE UP!

Bible study: Journal or discuss how the following scripture connect to our theme this week …

• “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13)
• “For nothing will be impossible with God.” (Luke 1:37)
• “But you, take courage! Do not let your hands be weak, for your work shall be rewarded.” (2 Chronicles 15:7)

Song application: “The Reason” by Unspoken

This year’s felt like four seasons of winter
And you’d give anything to feel the sun
Always reaching, always climbing
Always second guessing the timing
But God has a plan, a purpose in this
You are His child and don’t you forget

He put that hunger in your heart
He put that fire in your soul
His love is the reason
To keep on believing
When you feel like giving up
When you feel like giving in
His love is the reason
To keep on believing

Prayer points: Lift up the following areas to the Lord …

• Praise God for the opportunities He gives us to encourage through positive attention.
• Pray that we can see those opportunities more clearly.
• Pray that we will refuse to give up.

Just for fun: I was teaching this week when a kid raised his hand and said he really enjoyed pineapple.  Totally out of the blue.  I mean, pineapple had NOTHING to do with the lesson, but it was on his heart, and doggonit, he had to share it.  I smiled and shared a flashback from my school days when my buddy Ryan raised his hand and said, “My grandfather eats biscuits.” 

Prayer: Lord, help us give positive attention to the kids that so desperately need it!  Amen.