One Quick, Maybe Not Easy, Question.

[TheShortOne85]

How can I live as an example of Jesus without being walked all over? For example, a few of my peers at school are absent on a regular basis and always come to me for the previous day's, or even week's, work. Should I deny them that? In most cases, I'm just giving them the answers. I know as Christians we are called to reach the lost and be a light to them, but when should the line be drawn?  

[Ratsah]

TheShortOne85

How can I live as an example of Jesus without being walked all over? For example, a few of my peers at school are absent on a regular basis and always come to me for the previous day's, or even week's, work. Should I deny them that? In most cases, I'm just giving them the answers. I know as Christians we are called to reach the lost and be a light to them, but when should the line be drawn?

The first few times is probably nice and fine. But there comes a time where they need to do their own work and be responsible for their own work. To avoid being a push over you can politely tell them, you can't continue giving them the work and take it up with the teacher in class. They may huff over it but in the long run it'll help both them and yourself.

Matthew 5:37 All you need to say is simply 'Yes' or 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one. (NIV)  

[Aquatic_blue]

We need to read the life of Jesus to know about how to deal with situations or with others that seem to walk all over us, and what Jesus did when people asked him difficult questions. A lot of good examples of these are when the Pharisees had asked him questions. So perhaps look into those types of things, or study some of the parables. Sometimes there's a worldly illusion that people "walk all over us" because they persecute us, look down on us, etc. for what we believe and what our values/morals are. However, in God's kingdom - are we truly being walked on or are we in the light that many in this world are too blind to see?

I remember in school when people would say, "Oh! I didn't have time to do my homework last night! Can I copy off of yours?!" because they knew I did my homework. At times I would say, "No." and felt rude about it because my classmates hated me. At times, I let people look at my work - perhaps a few times here and there. A few people out of those groups were the, "I totally forgot," or, "I didn't have the time." and they only copied once and didn't ask again. While others thought, "She let me copy her homework! I'll do it again tomorrow!"

So yes, there is a time perhaps when a classmate is in distress because they couldn't get their homework done, but it shouldn't be a daily thing. Explain to them that if they don't do the work themselves that it will catch up with them later. I remember at one point in my life I copied math homework off of other people that were smarter because I was frustrated that I didn't understand it. I may have gotten good grades on the homework, but I miserably failed every test because I never tried to do the actual work to understand. Thus, I failed the class miserably and had to take it all over again. So tests were a whole different ball game and I knew not to even try to cheat on a test.  

[Meili Kyumee Youichi]

Giving them the answers straight away won't really help them.

I love this quote:
"Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime"

It is harder to teach them (you'll spent more time and energy); but actually if you help them to do so, they will be able to have a better knowledge and understanding to do it themselves.

And then...
"Don't feel bad if people remember you only when they need you.
Feel privileged that you are like a candle that comes to their mind when there is darkness."-anon

I particularly experience this myself. I spent more time just to explain to my friends. But hey, this is the chance to do service to others. Matthew 5:16-In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

To conclude, be the right light! To help them and guide them, not to give them answers straight-away.

Take care dear! God be with you. Always ask His wisdom :3  

[TheShortOne85]

Thank you everyone! ^^ I guess it was kind of silly to be asking this at the end of the schoolyear, but I don't expect this to stop in college. I usually just give them the answers, and don't really "teach" them. I'm not sure how they do on tests...