Voice.

"Speak up for the people who have no voice, for the rights of all the down-and-outers. Speak out for justice! Stand up for the poor and destitute!" -Proverbs 31:8-9

Today I used my voice. Not as if I don't everyday because I do but today I used the voice that I was meant to use. The voice I have been called to use, the voice that escalates change, and promotes healing, the voice that downs all downs and encourages the good. My voice makes a difference and if I didn't believe that, I wouldn't be a teacher. I mean honestly, the paperwork, the changes, the grading, the stuff, the after school programs, the hard classes, some annoying kids every once in a while... those things are not the things that make my job worth it but there are few things that are extremely significant that allow me to realize that what I do makes a difference because it does. The day I begin to deny that I have the chance to change someone else is the day that I need to quit and go live in a hole where no one is bothered by how miserable or sullen I am. I am change. My voice represents a God who is way bigger than me, who cares about the poor and the widow and the orphan and the outsider and the student who sits alone at lunch and the student who can't speak in class because their voice is changing and the person in Sudan who is fighting for life, but has no voice. My God speaks to that and He speaks to us begging us to have mercy on those who haven't experienced mercy before and justice on those who don't always deserve a second chance. He is a God who loves without any comparison and He gave me a voice and I choose today to continue to speak for those who have none, those who are lost and without hope and need a voice.

I have a few students who will one day be this voice. Today when they wrote notes to someone who had a made a difference in their life, they didn't write my name, no they wrote Jesus and Lord, and when they were asked why, the answer was "because He gave His life for us." How good it was and refreshing it was today to read through cards where God is glorified, where His name is being exalted and they are being His Voice. One day, they will write a similar note or page that will be read where their response is that they want to be used and they want their voice to be heard and it will be. They will be the voices of change, they will promote love and healing and join together to bind up those things that promote hate. You will hear their voice... you must only listen... and we can hear your voice... you must only speak.
-Melis