This season is always a bittersweet time for me. It's the end of my time home with my babies, but a new adventure with "my" other children who I get to know and love through school. I am always left feeling torn and conflicted, like I can't give my time to both in the way that both of them deserve my time. Children are a gift, whether they are mine biologically or not, and every opportunity I have with them is a chance for something beautiful to be learned (even if that beauty isn't revealed at the moment!)
I've come to recognize just how similar teaching and the Christian faith are as I work to plan how I want to run my classroom this year. I am a personal believer in allowing kids to have a voice in how they are educated. I want them to know I am listening. I want them to know I care about what they think and what they want. I want them to grow in their own self-motivation enough that they don't need me to choose every single thing we do every single day. I want to build up their mindset so much that they know what's best for them and they make choices that reflect that self-awareness on their own. So, we train. We preach. We teach. We repeat. I spend hours teaching kids how to develop a growth mindset, how to rewire their brains to believe that they can, that they will. We start to change our words from "I can't" to "I can't YET". I build them up. I tell them they can. I positively praise them. I give them what they need. We discuss, we grow, we learn. We practice, we repeat, we practice some more. And then they fail. They make a poor choice. They don't understand a problem. They are frustrated, they're angry, they don't feel successful. And you know what? I let them. I allow it to happen because I know that their struggle will lead to growth and to understanding if they use that opportunity to learn. I remind them that this failure is their brain growing. I remind them I am always there for them, and I'll support them. I help them take that failure and turn it into something beautiful. If they let me, I'll help them grow. I'll help them see the beauty in the struggles. I'll help them push through to the end goal, and they trust me when I say that they'll make it there and that they will get better if they put it in the time, they give me effort, I teach them some new skills, and they believe they will grow. But, still, I don't always reach every student. Regardless of my efforts, I can't force every student to learn. No matter how many math problems I give them, no matter how exciting a lesson might be...I will never reach them if they don't want it too. If they have set their minds up to block me out, to block out learning, then they are right when they say they can't do it. And they won't do it. And they won't grow. But that doesn't mean I give up on them. They might not want me pushing them, they might not like me making them feel this uncomfortable feeling of struggle in their classwork, they might not like me caring. But, I will never leave them and I will always fight to try to help them see the beauty and wonderful abilities that lie within themselves. You see, just like in the classroom, Jesus has taught us what to do. Some take what He's said, and follow it. They are drawn in, bought in. They've read the word, they've seen what He can do, they've felt His peace. He lays out His path for us, He models the desire behavior, and people follow. But some take more time. Some need more convincing. They have questions, they seek feedback. They grow from collaboration with others, from conferences with their teacher (or prayers with their Father). Their journey isn't clear cut, and there are sure to be times when they doubt what has been told to them and lose faith in the process and the journey. And then there are those who just choose not to be reached right now, at this moment. They've built up this wall that blocks all the amazing things that could be theirs if they'd just remove the barriers. They don't believe what is told, they fight against the gifts of unconditional love and support, and they use their freedom of choice to fulfill what they want rather than what they need. But, those who love them will never give up on them. The Holy Spirit will continue to pursue, to prod, to persuade them to tear down those walls. And just the same, the teacher will keep trying new strategies to reach that child who just doesn't want to be reached. The Holy Spirit will never give up on our hearts and turning them towards the Lord. Her persuasion, her guidance, her persistence will reach those who will allow her to reach them. If our minds are open to her, if our hearts are ready to receive her, she can make something beautiful out of each and every one of us, leading us toward our potential in Christ and our goal of eternal life. And for those whose hearts are closed, she will continue to fight. She'll try new strategies to help them see the greatness a life with God can give. She'll continue to pester, to prod, to pour into the lives of these people with the utmost desire for them to find this joy and peace in our Lord. She will never give up and she will not force them, for what is the worth of a love that is forced? It is true that they might not ever be reached in this lifetime; that those walls will never be broken. But who are we to say that she doesn't continue trying even after death? After all, the Holy Spirit is eternal (Hebrews 9:14). Our father, our Holy Spirit, our Savior yearn for us to have the beautiful life of hope that they see we could have if our hearts allow it to happen. And they aren't giving up any time soon. ------------------------ The Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and make you remember all that I have told you. (John 14:26) “I am telling you the truth,” replied Jesus, “that no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. A person is born physically of human parents, but is born spiritually of the Spirit. (John 3:5-6) ------------------------- Peace and love, Sadie
1 Comment
Gerald A Cypher
9/16/2018 02:29:47 am
I like the comparison you chose. People will not always do what's best. We're motivated by our needs and wants over what is best a lot of times. I've done this myself to many times to count. But the Lord has not given up on me. Always right by me guiding, pleading, and leading me. Today I count on this. Many years ago I didn't. Keep on fighting the good fight Sadie. You'll reach many and some of your greatest successes may just turn out to be the ones you thought you lost.
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Sadie JensenI'm a follower of Christ seeking to know Him and live like Him. If you'd like to learn more, read my blog post about my faith journey here. Archives
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