Day 42: I'm Quoting Yoda

A lot of years ago, I was a school teacher. Seems like a lifetime ago.

One year, our principal called me into his office. He said, "Are you interested in teaching 5th grade. We like you and think you would be great with this age group." In that moment, I was unsure. I had never taught 5th grade, but I liked the idea of 5th grade. So I said I would think about it.

As I walked out of his office, one of the 5th grade teachers who was waiting in the waiting area, got up and walked in, saying to the Principal, "You wanted to see me?"

As she walked in, I thought to myself, "Is he moving her too?" But he wasn't moving her. He was letting her go.

And the fact that she saw me come out of his office, combined with the fact that I did end up taking that 5th grade position, created a maelstrom of gossip like you would not imagine.

She surmised (as I probably would have if in her shoes) that she had been let go because I wanted her job.

The last part of that school year, and the summer, and the beginning of the next school year were torturous as countless parents and teachers blamed me for the situation. And try as I might, I could not convince them otherwise.

But a very wise co-worker said to me, "You generally cannot defend yourself against gossip. So the best thing to do is to leave it up to God to defend you. He knows the truth."

So I did. And He did.

That taught me a valuable lesson, and created in me a life axiom that I say all the time; "The truth always finds a way."

All that to say, the tongue is such a powerful tool. We must, in the words of Yoda, "Use our powers for good." (Wow . . . I'm quoting Star Wars!)