If you've never seen Disney's The Emperor's New Groove, you're missing out. Regardless, there is a scene in the comedy where the antagonist's quirky and brawny henchman, Kronk, is instructed to dispose of the emperor's body when he turned into a llama instead of dead. Kronk's plan is to throw the emperor into a burlap sack, tie it, and toss the unconscious llama into a waterfall with the hopes that it kills him or somehow makes him disappear.
Don't worry, it's an animated film, so it's not as violent as you think.
Before Kronk follows through with his plan, a devil Kronk appears on his left shoulder and an angel Kronk appears on his right moments later. I won't spoil the rest of it, but Kronk does eventually listen to one of the celestial shoulder beings and it unravels a string of hilarious moments - even for adults - throughout the film.
I have been teaching at the same charter school in the same grade level for over 10 years now, and one of the rewards that comes with longevity is that people, namely students, will approach me with eagerness and energy proclaiming how excited they are to be in my class one day...
...four years from now.
The younger the child, the more passionate they are about their bold prediction of one day being a member of my classroom. Ninety percent of the time, I don't know their name and have never seen them before, even when they tell me their sister's friend's younger brother was in my class seven years ago. You're probably thinking, That math doesn't even make sense. The worse part is when they give you that look like you should know them by name because you taught their sister's friend's younger brother.
In reality, I always look forward to these interactions because it reminds me of the small joys that come with sticking it out in one career field in one location. After all, who doesn't like to create a name for themselves and leave a lasting legacy that is positive and powerful? Every brief interaction with the little ones is the angel Kronk on my shoulder reminding me that these conversations throughout the school day are checkpoints along the hike of life that remind me I am headed in the right direction. Whenever I face any level of difficulty during the workday, I often cling to them like rations on a battlefield because they keep me focused on why God put me in this position.
Then there is the devil Kronk.
The devil Kronk reminds me how strict, disorganized, unqualified, and clumsy I am, which means these youngsters who claim they'll be in my class one day don't have enough information to know whether they'll succeed in my classroom. Worse, they probably won't like me because I'll find a way to mess up their only 5th grade experience.
I have a running joke with myself that devil Kronk likely loves more than the angel Kronk on the other side:
"Those who enter my class love me. Once they leave my class, they warn others about me."
The worse part about this joke is there is deep level of truth behind it, though it is not the entire truth. However, when I only focus on the students who defined their 5th grade teacher as strict and difficult, I convince myself there is nothing to be proud of. There goes my legacy, and even if there is one, it's the version where I'm known as the horrible teacher who should be surprised he even has a job in education still. The devil Kronk can do handstands and make me laugh with his subtle jokes, but if I pay too much attention to him, I am doomed because my legacy becomes a believed lie that I allow to go straight down the waterfall with the llama.
Just like me, Paul had his own devil Kronk and angel Kronk. The super apostles (2 Corinthians 11) were his devil Kronks. They were false teachers who appeared to be superior to Paul by manner and authority. Paul was weak in appearance, unsightly, and those he came in contact with held the strong opinion that he should stick to letter writing over public speaking (see 2 Corinthians 10:9-10). Comparitively, Paul had no chance at persuading people by appearance - the good-looking super apostles had him beat by a mile.
However, where Paul was weak physically and in appearance, he made up for with sound mind, unwavering dedication to his purpose, and self-discipline in his approach to sharing and spreading the Gospel his mission was led by God and his commitment to what the angel Kronk told him.
When Paul addressed the church in Corinth, he repeatedly modeled how to view your weaknesses as a reflection of Christ's power.
"Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may reside in me. So I take pleasure in weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and in difficulties, for the sake of Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong."
- 2 Corinthians 12:9-10
Paul saw whatever inward or outward sign of weakness as another reason to glorify God because His power and grace would sustain him through all hardship.
Whether I take the good opinions and criticisms about my teaching with a grain of salt or not, if I put my career in the hands of the Father rather than in my appearance like the super apostles did, I will learn to take the feedback through the lens of Christ and the Holy Spirit (the angel Kronk) in me.
Sure, the devil Kronk might still exist in my mind, but the idea of him dictating my life sounds more and more laughable by the minute when I have a living, active God who is not only in my corner, but is worthy of my praise whether I am weak or strong.
Before Kronk makes his decision to let the sack go down the waterfall or not, the devil Kronk confidently gives the angel Kronk and Kronk three reasons they should listen to his ideas:
Devil Kronk: "Number one - look at that guy! He's got that sissy stringy music thing!"
Angel Kronk (agitated): "We've been through this. It's a harp, and you know it."
Devil Kronk: "Reason number two. Look what I can do."
Devil Kronk then proceeds to do a handstand, and half way through his performance, lifts one hand as a show of strength and skill.
Kronk (confused): What does that have to do with anything?
Whether I am too strict or the greatest teacher of all time. Ultimately, if pleasing God is my end goal, it is Christ in me that will be my positive, powerful legacy.
In light of Christ in me, all Satan can do is a handstand, while the Holy Spirit can help me make decisions that are in alignment with Christ and his will for me.
What the students see when they want me as their teacher is Christ in me, and when I fully embrace the power of the Holy Spirit in my heart and mind, it makes Satan's handstands more comical than intimidating. My dad's version of the devil Kronk is "A lion without teeth." His version is probably more accurate than a miniature Kronk with a mouse voice, devils horns, a trident, and a red wet suit. Regardless, who we listen to will determine how we carry out God's will for our lives.
When Paul was a changed man through God's intervention, he did not turn back - he listened to the angel Kronk voice in him and pressed onward toward the goal to spread the Gospel to as many nations and churches as he could. He understood who lived in him, which carried far more weight than appearing wealthy, knowledgeable, and powerful like the super apostles did.
"I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."
- Paul, from Galatians 2:20
Paul knows what it's like to listen to both the angel Kronk and the devil Kronk; he persecuted Christians before he became the Paul we know today.
God loves to remind me who I am in him, and when students approach me with eagerness and excitement - and a hint of naivety - exclaiming their prediction about being in my future class, it reminds me of the positive, powerful legacy I am creating with the help of the Holy Spirit.
Whether he's a toothless lion or an animated devil in red spandex, our free will and the advocate we are promised in the Holy Spirit gives us the power to not listen to him.
Even if the Holy Spirit is a robed angel with a sissy stringy music thing.
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