Hey, carpool crew. I'm Pastor Justin, and let's talk about a fear today that hits fast and hard. One minute you're sitting at your desk, half listening, maybe doodling in your notebook. Then, boom, your name gets called. Yesterday, on our weekend episode for subscribers, we talked about being scared of speaking in front of groups, maybe public speaking or doing a project. You can go back and listen if you subscribe. Today, though, we're talking about, what if I get called on in class and don't know what to say? This is something that still scares me, sitting in a meeting at the church, because I'm a pastor, and getting called on to share my thoughts about a book or a passage we had just read. Even now, my stomach flips and my heart starts pounding. Yours probably would too. You're sitting in class and then unexpectedly everyone's looking at you, and you weren't ready. So let's talk about what Jesus would say in that exact moment. The Bible says in James chapter 1, verse 5, "Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly, and it will be given to him." Now, this isn't about planning a big speech. It's not about standing at the front of the class. It's about being caught off guard. It's the fear of being unprepared, of looking dumb, of saying something wrong in front of everyone. It sounds like, what if I don't know the answer? What if I say something that sounds dumb? What if people laugh at me? What if the teacher gets mad because I wasn't really paying attention? This fear hits fast. You didn't raise your hand, you weren't ready, and now you feel exposed and everyone's looking. Let me take you to a story in Matthew chapter 14. Peter is in a boat. It's dark, the wind is blowing, and Jesus comes walking on the water. A lot of us know this story. Peter is bold and says, Lord, if it's really you, tell me to come out there. Jesus says, come. So Peter steps out of the boat. He's walking on water until he starts noticing the wind, the waves, the pressure, the sound of the storm, and then he starts to sink. He didn't fail because he was weak. He sank because he got overwhelmed in the moment and took his eyes off Jesus. That's what pressure can do. And here's the best part. Jesus didn't let him drown. He didn't say, well, let's forget about Peter. He grabbed him and pulled him up. Even when Peter wasn't ready for the moment, Jesus was. If Jesus were walking into school with you today and you said, what if I get called on and I don't know what to say? I think he'd look you in the eyes and say, you might feel surprised, but I'm not. I'll give you peace and the words you need in that moment. Just breathe. I'm with you. Let me tell you about Noah, one of our listeners in Texas. He and his mom sent me this story. His class was reading out loud and he wasn't paying attention. His name got called to start reading next, and he didn't even know what page they were on. He panicked, his cheeks turned red, he fumbled with his book, people started to giggle. His teacher reminded him where they were. Noah felt awful, but later his teacher pulled him aside and said, you're not the first one that's happened to. It's okay. And Noah realized something really important. One bad moment doesn't make you a bad student. Getting flustered or confused, or just not being ready, doesn't mean you're not smart. So if you're scared of being called on in class, here are some things to remember. First, be honest. If you get called on and you don't know the answer, or you don't know where they are in the book, just say, I'm not sure where we are, or I don't know the answer to that. There's nothing wrong with being honest. Second, know that being surprised isn't the same as being unprepared. You don't have to be perfect on the spot. God gives wisdom freely. Remember James 1:5, it says if you ask him for it, he won't hold back. So ask God for more wisdom. That includes at school, during tests, reading out loud, all of it. Just be present and be honest. Remember, no matter where you are or how you're listening, God loves you. Before you go, let's answer this question together. What would help you stay calm the next time you're called on in class unexpectedly? I'll see you tomorrow on Carpooling with Jesus.
