Be a good Teacher!

Psalm 51 (New International Version, ©2011)

 ¹⁰ Create in me a pure heart, O God,
   and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
¹¹ Do not cast me from your presence
   or take your Holy Spirit from me.
¹² Restore to me the joy of your salvation
   and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
 ¹³ Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
   so that sinners will turn back to you. 

I have a Bachelors Degree in Mathematics. I am a licensed Secondary Math Teacher. I love teaching kids. But, teaching is not easy. Very rarely does the student get the concept the first time around. It takes a lot of drill and practice to get through and a student get confident in doing it on their own. Sometimes you get lucky and have someone who just gets it right away. But, the biggest barrier to getting kids to learn at school is DESIRE. In order to teach advanced concepts in Math, you first have to get the students willing to learn. They have to see the reason for learning. If they don't, your job becomes almost impossible. If you don't have examples of the value of what you're teaching, kids will sense it. If you can't connect the value of what you're teaching, their motivation to learn will not exist. Very rarely is the desire to learn a natural part of a student's life.

When we teach "transgressors" about God, it's just as difficult as teaching Algebra. Most people go about their lives thinking they have everything under control. If something goes bad, they just have to work harder or blame it on someone else. As Christians, we are the teachers. The best way to teach a non-christian is to give them a desire to be taught. I believe the best way to do that is by example. We need to demonstrate the value a relationship with Christ has on our lives. That includes how that relationship affects your life now and also in the future. Sharing your "Story" should be never ending. We should be able to recognize the daily impact our relationship with Jesus has on us and our families. That includes the blessings and the challenges we face everyday. Until we recognize how God affects our own lives, how can we convince others to build that relationship.

Search your heart. Ask God to give you that knowledge. Ask God to give you the words and the opportunity to "Teach". He will supply you with more that you can ever imagine. He will give you the Joy. He will give you the right Spirit! His presence will be made known and then it can be shared!

Teach Your Children well!

Luke 1:14-16 (New International Version, ©2010)

¹⁴ He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, ¹⁵ for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born. ¹⁶ He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God.

Do you remember this song?

Kids are a joy and delight in our lives. Maybe everyone doesn't feel that way every single minute of every day. But, now that I look back at those times when I had kids in my home, they were a joy and a delight. I think that's why being a Grandparent is so great. You get the chance to go through it all again and realize the joy and delight of every moment. I wonder if Zechariah really understood what he was being told. I wonder if he could grasp what it meant that he would be filled with the Holy Spirit.

As parents and grandparents we don't know what life will hold for our kids or grandkids. But, God knows. We need to be completely open to what God can do with these young lives. God has a plan for them. Our job is to make sure they are taught about God. God will do the rest. It amazes me how many kids grow up not knowing God, not knowing stories about Abraham, Joseph, Moses, David, Samson, Paul, and the miracles of Jesus. We don't have any guarantee that our children or grandchildren will follow the Lord. But, We give them a chance if they grow up knowing God.

Everyday of my life, I am so excited to realize that my kids and my grandkids have been taught about Jesus. I have seen God's wonderful hand in their lives and I have seen them grow closer and closer to God. That is so exciting. I see decisions they make and troubles they endure with the hope of God at their side. I am so excited that God is already more than a bunch of great stories. They see him as real and a part of their lives. I don't think my kids will bring Israel back to God, but who knows for sure. I do have hope they will bring others to know him and more importantly, they will pass this love to their kids. They are filled with the Holy Spirit and I delight in them just like Elizabeth and Zechariah delighted in their son.

Dear Lord, thank you for the great gift you have given in our children and grandchildren. Help us to teach them about you. Help us to live our lives so they see you in us. Help them to see your hand in our lives and desire for you to be in their lives. You are great and powerful. We love you and adore you. Amen!