I am a teacher, a Jesus loving teacher.
Throughout my life I was told by so many people “you should be a teacher” and for a time I bought into it and wanted to become a middle school teacher. That notion soon faded when I realized that 10 to 13 year old kids can be quite the little monsters. People continued to tell me I could be a teacher but then I sort of really resented the idea. I didn’t like the fact that people told me I could be a teacher because honestly I had no desire to be one.
In January when I was in Saiphi, India, on the first day of ministry I was hit with the “we were told that you all are teachers so you’re going to teach whatever you want to our students for 45 minutes, 5 times a day, alone.” To be honest, I was so scared I almost had a panic attack in front of 30 6th graders. All of a sudden, teaching wasn’t just something people said I was going to do or should do but it was something I had to do right then and there. Something I soon realized was the type of teaching I was doing was totally different from what other people had in mind when they told me I would be a teacher. The type of teaching I was doing, once I calmed down and just let it flow, was different because I never actually was alone. I had the Holy Spirit with me the whole time, even when I felt horrible and out of it. I was still able to shine brightly and be a light to my students because the Holy Spirit was with me, always. Although I did teach a lot of English, Science, and even American Sign Language, my teaching has always been and always will be different. It stands apart from “normal” grade school teaching because it is always centered around Jesus and it comes from the Holy Spirit. When I teach, God is always present. I am joyful and down to earth when I teach because that’s what Jesus is like to me. How else would I be able to captivate an 8th grade class with just my hands? (I taught my classes sign language and they used it every day in and out of school with me and each other!) Especially if many times when I go to teach all I want to do is be anywhere but there. Without the love of Jesus, I would never be able to teach. Without the love of Jesus my 8th grade class in Saiphai from January wouldn’t still be talking to me to this day. Without the love of Jesus, my 7th grade class in Lusaka would probably be robbed of so much joy because without the love of Jesus, when I go to the front of the class and my desire is sometimes to be anywhere else because of tiredness or whatever, my flesh would take over and I wouldn’t be very present. Instead though, it doesn’t. My flesh doesn’t take over because when I am teaching I am never alone because the Holy Spirit takes over and there I am teaching my grade 7 about Jesus and loving them and having fun for not just 20 minutes but almost 2 hours, every time I teach. The coolest part for me is the fact that I get the opportunity to take this type of teaching, teaching with the Holy Spirit, out of the classroom too. I get to play games with the kids and even have deep conversations with my most broken students where I can meet them on their levels and point them back to Christ and just love them the way Jesus loves me.
That is why I am a different kind of teacher, because God gives me passion to teach about him and be joyful and fun like him and just love on people like he does. Now, after many months of fighting it, I am truly unashamed to say “I AM A TEACHER!”. I am unashamed because when I teach, Jesus radiates out of me and I am never alone. I am unashamed because a Jesus loving teacher who always has the Holy Spirit with her and guiding her!
Go out and love with the love of Christ!
-Kara
