I believe that lessons can be learned anywhere. Sitting in classrooms, attending church and reading books have revealed many things to me, but just as important are the lessons that I have learned while teaching children.

Although it’s been many years since this happened, I can still picture little Whitney running up to me as I watched the class at recess. “Someone’s hurt,” she screamed.

I began to follow her to the injured child as I asked, “What happened?”

“He ran into himself,” she replied.

“What?” I said. “That’s impossible! How can you run into yourself?”

I have long forgotten the injured child, the injury and what actually happened, but I often hear Whitney’s explanation when other situations arise. Sometimes we simply run into ourselves.

Whether it’s our past, our fears, or our determination to have our way regardless of the situation, running into ourselves is not only possible, but often painful. And we often cause injury not just to ourselves, but to others around us as well.

One of my favorite preachers

was Peggy Richards, a woman

who made a lasting impression on me by the manner in which she could pull life lessons from Old Testament stories. Short and sweet, her messages never failed to impact my life.

She would have loved Whitney’s remark on the playground and would have probably used it the

day she preached about people

who are unsatisfied. She said that some people are always on the move, constantly going to different jobs, different marriages or different churches, thinking that if they change their surroundings, life

will be better. She illustrated her point by adding, “If you spill something in the kitchen, you don’t

go into the living room to clean it up.” She continued to say that often the problem lies within us and “everywhere you go, there you are.” If we don’t resolve the issues in our lives, they will be our constant shadow.

Let’s stop running into ourselves and model little Whitney, who was always quick to bringing help to the injured.

Ronny may be reached at rmichel@rtconline.com.