When I studied abroad in Mexico and got to go to the silver jewelry market, I had two goals: find simple silver bands for my thumbs, and get a very simple, small cross to wear around my neck. It took a few hours to sort through the elaborate crucifixes to find just the right small cross to wear, but I got it. I didn't plan for it to really do much for other people--lots of people today wear crosses but not for the same reason. I wanted to mark myself, for myself. I wanted a constant reminder of Who is my Father. I wanted to have a constant symbol to remind myself of just what Christ gave up for me--and what that should mean in my daily life. Needless to say, it works better some days than others.
While encouraging small groups in my computer-based classroom to discuss the topic for the day (religious freedom and gay marriage), I heard some trigger words in the corner. Namely "WRONG, YOU HEATHEN!" Granted, this was from the loud-mouth in class, the guy who didn't know how to not be sarcastic, so it wasn't too surprising. Still, I wandered over.
"So...what's going on here?"
My student looked eagerly at me. "She said that the Bible never explicitly says that homosexuality is wrong. I reminded her that her inexperience with proper texts is clearly showing." (Did I mention that he's a conservative Christian with all his smart-butt bravado?)
"Actually it does. Leviticus has the most specific mention of it, although there are a few others in both the Old and New Testaments."
After guiding the students to a website where they could search for the exact passage, I began walking away to another group. I wasn't fast enough to miss the next part of their conversation, though.
Girl: How'd she know that?
Boy: Well, duh, did you ever look at that cross she always wears?
I was surprised to say the least. My necklace is not typically that eye-catching and I've never had anyone ever mention it before. The symbol was a personal one although I didn't really mind if anyone noticed. The fact that my students, or at least some of them, had spotted the little cross and interpreted the meaning meant a lot to me. I try, per regulations, not to indoctrinate my personal beliefs in the classroom, letting the discussions go where they will even if I don't necessarily believe the same (such as when the liberal majority voted that anyone opposing gay marriage was a bigot). I try to keep an open mind, knowing that my job is to encourage critical thinking. I pray for my students and I hope I show Christ's life, but being a person of faith in a liberal institution is not easy. The lines are clearly drawn--any other faith, you have rights. Be Christian and you're mainstream. Old-fashioned. Out-dated. Prejudiced.
What had been primarily and exclusively a personal reminder of my faith and my dedication to working on my relationship with God had become an issue in my classroom. Perhaps my students do monitor some of the things they say because of that little silver charm. Then again, we talked about pornography and its effects on society without me blushing once, so who knows. :)
For me, it's more than a necklace. Now it's a witnessing tool, a little clue in a Scooby-Doo world as to why I act the way I do. Amazing what $7 worth of pure silver can do for eternity. :)
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