Why Be Good When Your Best Isn't Good Enough?

There have been many times in the last few weeks that I have been convicted to live as Jesus lived. My biggest struggle has been my attitude towards a class that all of us have to take. The teacher just doesn't seem to teach the way we want her to and then we develop bad attitudes about her and we start to say things that put down her character and make her look like a horrible person. I am guilty of doing this as well, but I am being convicted of it and I am trying to say nice things about her. Its not that she is a bad person or even a bad teacher cuz she takes what she does seriously and she is full of knowledge and ability and she puts her all into it. I think what has been happening is we are not respecting her, and she's not dumb, I'm sure she hear's the gossip that goes on around the school about her. I know that this class is not everyone's cup of tea but we aren't loving her the way we are supposed to. Our attitudes about that class are not right. I know that we make excuses for the way we talk (I'm busy, I don't like the way she teaches, I don't get the respect I want from her, etc.). I have made excuses previously in the past and really that doesn't make right the stuff I have said about her. I heard in a sermon once that has been really impacting me lately. This guy told us to think of the person that we dispise the most. Then he told us that we cannot love God more than we love that person. We are not capable of it. This reminds me of a scripture that I read in 1 John 4:20 "If anyone says, 'I love God,' yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen." This applies to this situation. How can we say we love God and worship God with everything we have if we do not love him with actions. Part of loving him with actions is respecting those around us and not speaking against them. God has called us to love others as Jesus loved them. He didn't always like what he was going through. He loved and forgave the people that hung him on the cross. This class isn't even half as bad as being hung on a cross. We need to step up our act towards this teacher. We need to act like Jesus would act. He wouldn't get mad at people for sharing their opinions or be rude to others or even speak against the teacher. He wouldn't demand respect before he gave it. He wouldn't gossip and slander her. He would love her. Love is always patient and kind. Clearly some of us have not even been patient or kind towards her. I know that none of us is perfect, but if we can't love a fellow sister in Christ, how do you expect to be able to love a non-Christian who upsets you or even, how can you love God? Remember, you can only love God as much as you love the person you like the least. Let us try and treat this teacher with respect. Maybe if we change our attitudes she will treat us with more respect. Let us try to love and Jesus loved.