“When the cat’s away, the mice
will play.” I was . . . and they did—mouse play, that is.
I suppose students haven’t
changed much over the years when it comes to substitute teachers. The practice
has always been to see how much they can get away with and to do things they
wouldn’t think of doing if the teacher were present.
At one school where I taught,
we didn’t overlook such behavior, nor did we tolerate it without consequence. One
day, I missed the first three periods of the day because I had an eye
appointment. When I arrived at school, the sub met me with news I didn’t want
to hear—but news that didn’t surprise me. The first period class refused to listen
to her when she told them to remain quiet and do their work. In fact, their
noise level rose so much that a teacher in an adjoining room had to step in to
reprimand them.
The students later regretted
their actions. I checked with the lead teacher, and we agreed on a plan of
action. The class served a class-wide lunch detention and wrote “I will listen
to the substitute when the teacher is absent” repeatedly.
Jesus told a story about
servants who also acted up while their master was away. The master rewarded the
faithful ones who did their jobs while he was away, but he punished those who
misbehaved. Unfortunately, the innocent often must pay for the bad behavior of
the few, as with students.
In Jesus’ story, He was the
master, and the servants were believers. What He expects of us while we await
His second coming—or our death—is faithfulness to His commands and the work He
has left for us to do.
When we waste our lives on vain
pursuits that benefit only us, we miss God’s blessings and invite His
discipline. But it’s more than an obedience/discipline thing. We should obey
God out of love and appreciation, not just fear. Life at its best comes when we
obey because we love God and want to show His love to others in practical ways.
Messing around while the master is away sets a bad example and fosters an attitude of laziness that can become a lifestyle. Ingenuity and diligence let us enjoy life as God intends.
Don’t get involved in mouse
play. Live each day as if Jesus is returning. After all, He just might.
Prayer: Father, may we be
faithful to Your work as we await Your Son’s return.
Tweetable: Are you engaging in mouse play?
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