Hearts Pumpin'

The blog themes for this month are: February and Love. We hope you enjoy these posts!

Written by: Sondra Dron

Love perseveres. I Corinthians 13:7

People stink. They’re aggravating and exasperating. I know the scriptures say to love, but Jesus must have meant “Love, but keep a safe distance.”

That’s where my attitude was circling that morning. Did I mention that I’m a preschool teacher assistant in a Christian school? Don’t get concerned. God knows how to handle preschool teachers. That day He used four year old Madison.

Madison and I are a lot alike. We love to sing songs and worship. We love Jesus, but people? Um, we sometimes have trouble there.

That morning Madison said some unkind words on the playground and the teacher brought her in for a classroom time out.

                                                                               Photo courtesy: Luis Argerich from Buenos Aires

 “I don’t have time for this,” I muttered. I was busy with end-of -day responsibilities: filling backpacks, cleaning tables, and sweeping floors. Parents come at 12:30, ready or not.

After Madison sat for a few minutes, I knelt beside her.

“Madison,” I said, “remember the last time you were unkind to your friends? We prayed that God would help you. No one can be good without God. While you are in time out, talk to Him.”

I hurried to get the lunch tables set for the hungry afterschool crowd. I expected Madison to sit silently, but instead she clapped her small hands together and said aloud, “God, keep my heart pumpin’. I have lots of love and I need to give it to everybody.”

                                “So sweet,” I thought.

That still small voice said, “You could pray that prayer today too.” I stopped. I exhaled slowly. I clapped my hands together and repeated her words. “God, keep my heart pumpin'. I have lots of love and I need to give it to everybody.” My irritation subsided. Those exasperating people looked different to me. Maybe I could love again, without the distance.

“Love perseveres.” Simple statement. Tough assignment. The Father knows we can only do it with His help, one instance at a time, one person at a time.

I’ve made Madison’s prayer my own. You can too. Pause now and ask God to help you persevere in love. Only He can keep our hearts pumping out the love this world desperately needs.

Sondra Dron loves teaching, learning and laughing. That’s why she has taught Sunday School forever.  She believes that kids are God’s best teachers and His richest source of laughter. She recently retired from a Christian school and is now seeking publication of an early chapter book. Her current project is a devotional for boys. She's a Virginia native who moved to Wilmington 34 years ago (which makes her "a local.") She's an an active member of Word Weavers and lives with her husband David.