Best Reaction is an Under Reaction

"Can't you think of anything new to do? I did that when I was in school." I rolled my eyes and tried to look nonchalant before the group of junior high students. I was their substitute teacher for the day. It was 11:00, the designated time for them to drop their books all at once, hoping to disrupt the teaching. My bored reaction took the wind out of their sails and we went on to complete the day's instructions, much to their dismay.

Remember your junior high years in school when a substitute teacher was in charge of a class? Remember the students trying to unnerve said substitute--trying their best to get him or her to "lose it"? If you could get them to cry, that would be the best.

Hopefully, most of us have matured beyond such childish, mean-spirited antics. Many of us have worked as underappreciated substitute teachers. It's a tough gig.

I learned early on in my teaching career that the best reaction to most (I said most) situations is an under reaction. In fact, two different principals advised me of this while helping me navigate some tough situations.

I saw this under reaction theory work in the church years ago. We were part of a small group of people struggling to keep open a dying church.   The denomination sent a representative to tell us we had one last chance to build the membership or they would shut us down. We were young, passionate, and loved our neighborhood church. After the emotional meeting, complete with angry outbursts, many of us were riled up--some crying, others just plain mad.

Up stepped an elderly gentleman--old Mr. Florian Fink. He smiled and said calmly, "I wonder how God's going to get us out of this mess."

He stopped us in our tracks and I've never forgotten that phrase. Whenever I'm in the midst of a big issue, whether it's professional, personal, or familial, I remember that statement from a very wise man steeped in the faith: "I wonder how God's going to get me out of this mess."

Personal Conviction: God truly is in the midst of our messes.

• He's in the midst of our storms
• He's in the midst of our illnesses
• He's by the hospital bed when a loved one is dying
• He's in the middle of family dissension
• He's present in times of fear

It's not a cliché, but a truth: I don't know what lies ahead for me, but I do know God will be there the whole time, holding my hand. The same is true for you. Old Mr. Fink would agree.

(By the way, the denomination didn't close down that struggling church. In fact, with renewed zeal and a new, young and talented pastor, it turned around and is still going strong today. God certainly did get us out of that mess.)