Courage and Light

“You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.  Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl.  Instead they put it on its stand and it gives light to everyone in the house.”  (Matthew 5:14-15)                                                              

Courage and Light

            Jesus says, “You are the light of the world.”  Jesus says, “Let your light shine before men.”  The apostle John says, “But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.”  The apostle Paul states in a letter, “You are all sons of the light and sons of the day.”  It takes courage to be God’s light in a secular public school setting.

            There are many voices around us in school competing with these words from the Lord.  Our paraprofessional, Debbie Doubt, says, “I doubt that faith has any real application or role in your professional life.”  Our co-worker, Fearfilled Fanny says, “Keep your faith hidden. Any expressions of your faith are against the law because of the separation of church and state.”  Our supervisor, Sharon Shame, says, “Don’t embarrass yourself by mentioning God, asking co-workers to pray with you, or by letting them know Jesus is your first love.”  Our principal, Busyness Bob, says, “You don’t have time to get all of your work done now.  You don’t have time to do what Jesus is asking you.  Going to church is enough to please God.”

            After a career of more than thirty years, one of the most courageous brightest lights in the field of public education is Mable Robinson.  This is Mable’s story as told by her faith-filled friend and coworker of many years, Rhonda Livingston.

“My friend Mable has always been a floodlight of faith in the public schools. During the first ten years of my career, when my faith was safely locked in my classroom closet under a bowl, I noticed this short middle-aged woman.  She was a paraprofessional serving emotionally disturbed students in the classroom next to my second grade classroom.  I would often hear shouting, cursing, and banging on the opposite side of the wall we shared. (I told my inquiring students there was construction work going on next door.)  Students were often escorted by Mable and her supervising teacher to the principal’s office past my door. On one occasion I remembered seeing a child being escorted who had smeared excrement all over his face. Mable served the most severe emotionally disturbed students in the district who would sometimes hit, bite, kick, curse and spit at Mable.  I wondered how this lady could do her job day after day, especially for the salary she received.  I wondered why she took such abuse for so little pay.”

            “One day I noticed that at every break she would tuck a large well worn book under her arm and head out to her late model car in the parking lot to take a 15 minute respite from the evil in her classroom.  I figured she was going out for a needed cigarette smoking break for that was the routine of her co-worker to deal with the stress.  Upon closer scrutiny I realized it was a Bible under her arm and she was going out in her car to read the Bible and pray, to do some holy smoking!  Those times alone with Jesus, several times a day, gave her the strength and courage to deal with the constant trials and tribulation in her classroom.  I realized her true employer was not the state or the local district.  She was working for Jesus Christ!  I knew when I saw this that I wasn’t alone in desiring to serve Jesus first on the job.”

“When God called me to ask people at school to begin praying with me I knew she was going to be a safe bet and I would not be rejected or embarrassed.  I asked her to pray with me and she gladly and courageously accepted.  We committed to a day and time to meet and pray after school each week.”

“Mable later went on to get her bachelor’s degree and teach in another district and she is still my prayer partner after twenty years.  We will call and share prayer requests for both family and professional concerns. We have prayed one another through many domestic and professional crises.  She, above all others in my profession, understands that public schools are spiritual battlegrounds for the youth of this nation.  The Bible says that a three stranded cord is not easily broken. (Ecclesiastes 4:12)  My spiritual relationship with Mable and other believers with whom we prayed has continually kept us from breaking as the Lord uses all of us, one student at a time and one day at a time, to restore the light of faith and His presence in His public schools.

Prayer:  Lord, thank you for the prayer partners you have placed at all our schools. Help us find each other.

Application:  Search for the prayer partners assigned to your school. Become a three stranded praying cord.

Sharing:  How has praying with co-workers benefited you?  How do you think it could if you would start?

CLASSROOM LIGHTHOUSE SERIES: TEACHER! TAKE COURAGE!  (For inquiries contact ceaihouston@sbcglobal.net.) # 9