As a new school year begins I want to ask God’s blessings and favor on my friends who are instructors whether in the classroom or at home. Perhaps a good subtle encouragement may come from the lips of our rotund friend, G.K. Chesterton, who once wrote: “When it comes to life the critical thing is whether you take things for granted or take them with gratitude.” Teaching is a spiritual exercise. It is not a dispensing machine of facts.
Teaching is a deeply emotional and intellectual exercise. And in the process of instructing, one is faced with the many challenges of confronting, challenging, restoring, and rebuilding. There will be many situations where gratitude seems as distant as possible from reality. But in such situations, moms, dads and teachers need to contemplate the engaging and spiritually-charged journey of passing wisdom to another image-bearer. Through every tear and laughter, remember to give thanks. When gratitude is forgotten education suffers from the violence of idolatry; for idolatry entails forgetting the Creator and his gifts. Seek gratitude. Embrace gratitude as a caffeinated arrow of grace in your life. Teach. Give thanks. And persevere. The Lord be with you.
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