If you read my last blog, you know that for me teaching English has been hard at times. As I was walking home from the coffee shop where I spent my afternoon yesterday, I had a revelation.
God has it so. much. HARDER!
God doesn’t teach eight people at a time. He doesn’t even teach thirty or sixty. He teaches billions of humans at one time. He doesn’t get a break or a day off. He works twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. The human race as a whole is more stubborn, more distracted, and more self-absorbed than any of the students I have taught or ever will teach.
God wants to have fun with us. He wants us to enjoy life and enjoy it to the fullest. “…I have come that they may have life and have it in abundance.” (John 10:10) Yet, when He tries to guide us, we don’t listen. We talk back. We think we know best and do our own thing. This is when He has to discipline us and when consequences come into play. “Do not despise the Lord’s instruction, my son, and do not loathe His discipline; for the Lord disciplines the one He loves, just as a father, the son he delights in.” (Proverbs 3:11-12) “No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it yields the fruit of peace and righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” (Hebrews 12:11)
How many times do we complain about consequences of choices we make? How many times do we ignore those consequences? How many times do we blame others instead of taking responsibility for our actions? Students in my classes have done this at times, but we (humans) do this so much more often. Yet, God is patient, and He gives us grace. He sent Jesus to die for us knowing that we would be obstinate and selfish and sinful.
God gave me this revelation for a reason. Instead of complaining or choosing to be frustrated when things aren’t going the way I planned, I need to have patience and choose to see the best in my students. My goal should not be to teach my students English, even though this is a good thing. My goal should be to have a character more like God’s and to show the students I teach just how much He loves them.
