Teaching And Bright Beginnings

Accountability

and

Being Called to Teach

           Remember when you got the calling to be a teacher, in your heart.  Hopefully, if you are a teacher you feel like you were called to be one, that it is a passion for you, something you feel very strongly about, a calling.   I was so excited, and yet scared.  I have spent many anxious moments, many sleepless nights worrying about being good enough, worrying over what to say and how to say it, what actions to take or not to take, and test scores, and accountability, etc.  I am sure you have too.  It kind of comes with the territory of anything you do in this life.  Then I realized there is only one we are truly accountable to.  He does hold us accountable, but it is his judgement that matters most.  This still causes me anxious moments, and sleepless nights sometimes, but in a different way.    I feel honored to be called to teach and to be called to be a role model to students.  It brings me such joy.  The blessings are the best!  I mean, how awesome is what we get to do!  I felt privileged, and honored at having been chosen to lead. And yes, anyone who has influence in any job or responsibility, is being called to lead.   I still feel this way.......even more so today, than in the beginning.  The job is even more real for me today than before because now, I know exactly what is being asked of me.  Having said that, it also means I need God more every day as I go into the classroom.  I want to be in God's presence while in the classroom and every minute of every day.  I never want to be without God's presence in my life.  Being chosen to teach is such a gift, honor, and responsibility. One that is so completely humbling.  Why me?  Why you?  How can he believe in us, giving us the resources to do such an enormous job?  By his Grace.  We can do our job, not because of who we are, but because of who He is.  

      After 15 years of teaching  I believe even more strongly that God is going to call on us and ask all of us what we did with the resources he gave us.  He will ask every person that question, and for teachers it may sound like this, "what did you do with the time you had in the classroom with your students?"  "How did you spend the time I gave you on Earth?"  "How did you make a positive difference?"    He will ask us how we used the resources he gave us and how did we use those resources to impact the lives of our students and their families.  He will ask us, "what did you do with what I gave you?"  What did you do with your teacher's heart?  In what ways did you love your students and make their lives better?  How did you use your teacher's eye and how did you see the students in your classroom?  Did you live in a way that others were able to see me in you?  How were you a role model?  How did you take care of my children?  How did you teach them about kindness, giving, and love?  How did you teach them about responsibility and about being a cheerful giver/worker?  How did you live by my example and teach my biblical values?   A lot may be dependent on how we answer those questions.   I hope to make God proud, and live a life where others can see his light through me, and that will encourage others, and their lives will encourage others, etc.  I hope others can see his heart in me.  The Bible says we will know Christians by their works. God gives teachers such an awesome opportunity as we are called to work with God's other children, the innocent ones.  God tells us, "the light shines in the darkness and the darkness can never extinguish it." John 1:5.  I like to think that is how God is talking about the light that we are called to be as teachers.  (Or maybe a different profession for you.) If we are being called to lead, and to teach, then aren't we also being called to be his light, and to shine?  In 1 Peter 4:10 it says, "As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied Grace."  

     It is God's grace that is the light in our lives.  It is God's love that allows us to love others as we should.  It is God's grace that allows us to encourage and do his work.  It is God's plan that just may be working through us to help the ones we are called to help.  It is my prayer as a teacher that our students see God in each one of us, whether we are praying in school or not.  God bless as you get ready for a new school year!!!  I will be praying, and I hope to use this blog as a voice of encouragement to you.