Personal Perception

Working with people is something I love to do. Working with Sin nature is something I hate to do.

Unfourtunately, these jobs go hand in hand. If anyone believes people are inherently good, one must visit my 3-year-old class of boys on Wednesdays.

In this class you will discover that man is by nature, inherently sinful and restless for all kinds of evil!! (that is putting it very dramatically, but I do have a point to make here)

When we have Bible time, all the boys have to sit in a circle and listen attentively for the teacher to teach about God. Whilst this teaching is going on, one suddenly gets an itch that he just can not sit any longer... So, Paul heaves a loud sigh, jumps up on top of his chair and announces to the teacher he is just not in a mood for a Bible lesson today, but to check back in with him later. Then he launched himself off the chair, manly struts over to a wall behind the astounded teacher and curls up in a small ball of blond curls and a disengaged air about him.

Jessie, my friend, looks at me as if to say, "You got him." and then calmly continues the lesson.

So, I stoop next to him and try to see things through his perception, excited to put the stuff learned in Interpersonal Comm. class to the test.

Pauls viewpoint:
1. I am the world, so the world revolves around me
2. I came to this class not on my own will, so I really don't have to partisipate.
3. I can do what ever I want
4. Lets see if they make me do what they want!

So after assessing these possibilities according to his behavior, I resolved to clearly communicate through my newly learned IP skills.

I had babysat for this kid before, but only once. He had a string of babysitters and we ended up with an I-It kinda relationship. But he did talk to me and he had known I was fair to him but didn't let him get out of line.

After asking him if there was anything wrong, I went on to request that he sit in his chair like the rest of the class. I reasoned that he might get distracted over by the wall and he needed to not distract the others. Plus, he might not be able to listen very well.

His big blue eyes looked up at me so innocently, and then he said, "I can hear just fine from right here!"

Clear communication or not, this kid was smart! After a time I did convince him to go back and the rest of the story was enjoyed.