It was a very unpleasant sight. I almost hated the days when I would get my graded tests back on my desk in elementary. Because you see, it was covered in red ink. The teacher who at that time I thought to be so mean, and so strict, continued to mark out answer after answer on my papers. She would write in the margins “Troy, you can do better than this” or “Troy, would your mother be pleased with this?” I hated those days.

You see, this teacher was a member of the Church. She knew my parents well, and she knew the standard that my parents had set for me. Whenever she would see me slacking off, or not giving my all, she would challenge me, she would “get on to me” because she knew my parents would not be pleased. And she wanted me to grow, and wanted what was best for me, even if what was best for me was a little punishment. Today, I love this woman with all of my heart. She taught me a lot about life. She taught me a lot about work ethic. She taught me… a lot about Jesus.

Everyday, I open my new testament only to find, words in red. You see, these beautiful words of red are not always what I want to hear. But it is always what I need to hear. Within those words of red, are instructions, encouragement, challenges, and commandments. Many times we get caught up into thinking that scripture is nothing more than a list of “Thou shall not’s ” and it can seem burdensome on our hearts if we view this Holy Book in this way. A better way to view these words, is that these are words of love coming from the “good teacher” (Mark 10:17)

We read these words in red, and we are left with a choice. We can choose to disregard these words as “too hard” or maybe “outdated”. Or we choose to allow them to give us light along our way (psalm 119:105) Every time I read from these words in red, it exposes my error. Every time I read from these words in red, I hear “Troy, you can do better than this”. Every time I read from these words in red, I hear “Troy, would your heavenly Father be pleased with this?” As I will be forever grateful to my elementary teacher, and her persistence in correcting me, and training me, I will be eternally grateful for the “Words in red” that day by day guide my life, just a little closer to home.

Psalm 1:2- “but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.”

In Him,

Troy