We don't have school tomorrow, so this is me...
I was able to share a bit of this in our Staff Devotions yesterday.
But I wanted to share the whole thing here today.
It’s
the end of the school year. There’s a lot going on. There are lessons to plan,
papers to grade, meetings to hold, musicals to direct,
sports to coach, staff to lead, children to
discipline, an office to manage, money to account for, clubs to volunteer with, and all sorts
of other things I’ve forgotten…
And that doesn’t count all the family/church/mission responsibilities, classes people are taking, or all the other things people are responsible for…
And sometimes, (especially at this time of year) all of
those things
even though we truly enjoy them...
Well, they
still seem to drain our energy.
Isaiah 44:3 says, “For I will pour water on him who is thirsty,
and floods on the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit on your descendants
and my blessing on your offspring.”
So what do we do?
The word "enthusiasm" comes from the Greek meaning "God within."
That's more proof that we NEED God within us.
Pretend we're sponges, working to clean up (i.e. perform our jobs). But we, as sponges, can't be effective if we're dry. Sure, we might scratch the metaphorical dirty surface. We must just do the bare minimum for our jobs. But we will never be able to do all God intended for us like that.
Just as a sponge needs to be full of water, we need to be full (to overflowing) of God. That way we can do more than the bare minimum. That way we can spread the love of God all around, to all in our care.
And it's not a case of filling up one time and we're set for life.
We have to be continually refreshed.
We have to continually return to the LIVING WATER.
We have to continually allow Him to fill us up to overflowing.
In John 7:37-39, it says that Jesus
stood and cried out, saying, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in
Me, as the Scripture said, 'From his innermost being will flow rivers of living
water.'" But this He spoke of the Spirit,
whom those who believed in Him were to receive..."
So if you're feeling like that sponge that's been left out too long... If you're feeling ‘dried out’, remember to go back to God - the LIVING WATER - for a new, fresh filling.
I recently read a list by Billy Graham on a few ways to replenish your
soul. And I saved them for when I, myself, needed to read them.
And I thought I’d
share some of them here.
If you want to read the full list/article, check it out here.
1) Get away and be still.
Mark 6:31 says, "Come away by yourselves to a secluded place and rest awhile."
Psalm 46:10 says, "Be still and know that I am God."
2) Listen (to God, of course, but also to those spiritual mentors you respect enough to provide constructive criticism/encouragement.)
Proverbs 1:5 says, "A wise man will hear and increase in learning, and a man of understanding will acquire wise counsel."
3) Be present.
Luke 10:41-42 says, “But the Lord
answered her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things,
but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be
taken away from her.”
What we, as teachers, are doing is not in vain.
We are literally educating the future leaders of tomorrow. We may not realize it now, but the things we do and say today will impact the future.
A college student (and future teacher) who visited my school last year wrote a beautiful "open letter to teachers" a few days ago and shared it on Facebook. I immediately wrote her, asking if I could share it. So I'll end with that.
Dear Teachers,
All of your hard work often goes unrecognized because
"you get to leave work at 3 in the afternoon" and "you get
summers off." I know you've heard that more times than you can count.
People dismiss all that you do because they think you don't spend 40 hours a
week at your job. But, I know you do that and more usually.
Girls like me, who
are in school to become teachers, we look up to you. We know how hard you work.
We appreciate everything that you do. We are
thankful for the example you have set for us. Your students are also thankful
for you.
They may not always be obedient or respectful, but they
do appreciate you, and if they don't now, they will one day. They'll look back
on their elementary school days and be old enough to appreciate how much you
did for them. They'll see how you put them first. They'll see that you made
sacrifices for them. They'll see how much you cared. Because you do care.
You care more
than they will ever understand.
You have invested so much into each one of your
students. You've done your best to teach them all of the standards, plus life
lessons. You plan activities and try your hardest to make learning fun. You
spend your own money on classroom supplies. You spend countless hours grading
and planning at home on your time off. Your job doesn't end when you go home.
You may get to leave work at 3 in the afternoon, but you definitely don't stop
working then.
Your students'
needs will always come before your own.
You have students from all different home lives and
backgrounds. Some of them have experienced more in their short life than you
could ever imagine. Your heart is always heavy for these students, and you
always go out of your way to help them however you can. You want your classroom
to be a safe place.
Regardless of what your students are facing outside of
school, you want your classroom to be a place where they feel at peace and
comfortable. You've worked hard all year to build trust and relationships with
each one. They know they can come to you when they have a problem. They know
you are there for them. They know you will listen. Sometimes, you're the only
adult in their life that gives them attention and treats them like they are
important. You make them feel special, and that's what makes your job worth it.
You are making
a difference in their lives.
I'm sure one of the reasons you decided to become a
teacher was so you could make a difference in the lives of your students.
You're doing that. They need you. They won't forget you. It will be a total of
180 days that they've been in your class; you have left an impact on each one
of them. I know you're drained.
I know you're probably down to your last straw. I know you
need a break. But, don't give up. Look at how far you have come. Look at the smiles on
your students' faces. Look around your classroom and reassure yourself that you
are exactly where you need to be, and doing what you were created to do.
You are changing lives.
You are making a difference.
What you're doing matters.
So, as the school year comes to an end, make each
day count. Even though you're tired, finish this year strong. You're doing a
wonderful job. Your students look up to you. I look up to you. Education majors
look up to you. Your dedication to your students is evident. We aspire to be
teachers just like you.
Thank you for
all that you do.
Thank you for educating the future leaders of our
world. We couldn't do it without you.
Sincerely,
Every Single Person.
