Every good and
perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of heavenly lights, who
does not change like shifting shadows. (James 1:17)
Courage and Change
All living things are constantly changing. Since the moment God knit the first cells of our
bodies in our mother’s wombs we have been changing. Every living thing is in constant
change. As our bodies are constantly
changing, so are our professional lives. In Janice McBride’s first few years of
teaching she was amazed at the constant change going on in her professional
life – changing strategies, philosophies, materials, and personnel. Janice has served as a first grade teacher in
the public schools for thirty years and has never changed schools or teaching
assignments yet she has worked under eight different superintendents, eight
principals, and at least ten associate principals. She witnessed six or seven major changes to
the approach of teaching reading. (All
of them, of course, have been “researched based”.) She has seen hundreds of staff
members come and go. She has seen the special
education students placed in all day self-contained classes because “research”
indicated that this was the best methodology. In the last several years she has
seen every special education child placed in her regular classroom because
“research” indicates that is the best methodology. She has seen no accountability testing
systems at the campus, district or state levels changed into systems now where
three to four weeks of instruction, almost an entire month of every school
year, is dedicated to accountability assessment.
Amidst this professional maelstrom only one thing has
remained constant for Janice and that is her personal relationship with Jesus
Christ. He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. (Heb. 13:8) His
instructions for her to go into her classroom, shut the door, and privately
pray for the staff, parents, and students she serves has never changed. His call for her to return good for other’s
evil has never changed. His call for her
to encourage and gather with other Christian teachers to agree in prayer has
never changed. His instructions to bear
spiritual fruit (peace, patience, love, etc.) have never changed. Her instructions to constantly thank and
praise God for all things in her professional life have never changed. Her instructions to acknowledge Him in her
professional life so he would direct her paths have never changed. Her instruction to let His light shine where
she works has never changed.
The first ten years Janice taught, before she fully
committed her professional life to Jesus Christ, she thought she could follow
Jesus by herself through the public education system. She found herself being
wrenched in one professional direction and then another. She felt like her feet were on constantly
shifting sand. She would put her trust
in a principal, co-workers, or program, and the next minute they were all gone
in another crashing wave of educational politics, financing, school zoning
changes, or the slick marketeering of the newest educational guru. When she
finally surrendered fully to Jesus and understood she needed to join with other
Christian educators to complete her walk with Him, she finally felt grounded.
She became like a tree planted by a river.
Secular change still comes, sometimes in the form of storms. Janice’s
branches and leaves still sway in the wind and some are torn off, but her roots
and her focus, her faith in the God who brought her into this profession, are
constant and keep her grounded.
Although Jesus doesn’t change in this profession, He asks
us
to change because our relationship is constantly growing. Each year we must ask
Jesus in prayer, “What changes do you want this year? How can I improve my service here to you and
others?” It is amazing what He sometimes
tells us to do regarding room décor, materials, and strategies. These things are
called “God changes.” Write these changes down and set out to implement
them. Some of them take much courage and
humility to fulfill.
While all the secular trade winds blow around us,
sometimes at gale force, our focus must first be on what Jesus has given us to
do and not the agendas of states, districts, principals and our selves. We have one master, not four or five. He serves
as our shelter from all the professional storms. He is our Cornerstone upon which we are to
stand together and build something eternal in public education. It takes courage to first seek and obey Him
in our secular lives but if we do He promises to add everything else we
need. God delivers on His promises.
.
Prayer: Lord, thank
you for never changing. Thank you for asking us and giving us the courage to
change. Thank you for the principles you have given us to follow which bring
greater success in this profession.
Application and Sharing: Write down
three changes God wants this school year in your personal relationship with
him. Write down three changes God wants in the secular aspect of your job.
Share these with a Christian co-worker and ask them to hold you accountable.
CLASSROOM
LIGHTHOUSE SERIES: TEACHER! TAKE COURAGE!
(For inquiries contact ceaihouston@sbcglobal.net.) #7
Prayerfully dependent,
K
PS. Don’t forget to spread the word about the 1:16PM Prayer Movement.
• Follow us on Twitter for the prayer prompts @one16pray
May God bless you with success His way this 2013-2014 school year.
Christian Educators Association International is the only professional association in the United States specifically for Christian educators in public schools. CEAI protects our members first in prayer, next with excellent professional liability insurance and other benefits while helping them live out their high calling as a Christian in the public school.
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