We can learn a lot of David and His explicit trust in our Heavenly Father.

Back when I was still teaching, I once had a high school student working every day with me in my classroom. She was on a co-op program, with a desire to become a teacher.  

One day during this time, one of my classroom students was very sad. I was trying to help this student, and I was impressed to ask her, “Are you a Christian?” The student avowed that she was, and I was able to help her look to God with her troubles. Her sadness left her, and she was so happy I had helped her.

Meanwhile, my co-op student, who, interestingly, was also a Christian, was observing. When the student left, she began to yell at me. She was very adamant that I should not say such things in a public school. She said she was going to report me to her co-op supervisor back at her high school.

Not knowing what to do, I prayed and turned the problem over to God. I was impressed to apprise my principal on the issue, who, interestingly, was not a Christian.  Her response? “Kick her out of your classroom! Send her back to her high school!”

My very angry co-op student wasted no time in reporting the incident to her co-op supervisor, and his response shocked her: “You need to apologize to Mr. Chaffart!”

It must have been hard for her, but to her credit, that’s exactly what my co-op student did. The rest of the year went very well, and in the end, she became an excellent teacher, and she even invited me to her wedding.

This story reminds me of Ps. 3:1-3 “Lord, how many are my foes! How many rise up against me! Many are saying of me, ‘God will not deliver him.’”(Ps. 3:1-2 NIV)

In this case, my “foe” was from an unexpected source, a Christian even, and she was sure God would not deliver me.

“But you, Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high. I call out to the Lord, and he answers me from his holy mountain. I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the Lord sustains me. I will not fear though tens of thousands assail me on every side.” (vs. 3-6 NIV)

God was, indeed, my shield. He answered me from His holy mountain. I went home and I even slept well, before I knew the outcome from her co-op supervisor, because the Lord sustained me and I knew I had no need to fear.  

Should I have helped that student by talking about God in a public school? Absolutely.

We also should always reach out to help people, and when we pray and ask for wisdom, God will always tell us exactly what we need to do. He is our guide, He is our deliverer: “From the Lord comes deliverance. May your blessing be on your people.” (vs. 8 NIV)

Hurray to our Heavenly Father!

In His love,
Rob Chaffart

(To access the entire “The Sling for God” devotional series, please click here.)