What a Difference!
The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; he knows those who take refuge in him. Nahum 1:7 (ESV)
Life is certainly different for me nowadays! I used to find fulfillment in being a teacher and/or a substitute. Several years ago, my concerns included pushing them to keep up, would they do well on standardized testing, could they stand firm in the midst of peer pressure. (How would all that reflect on me?) Then, I took a break and did some soul searching. What I discovered put me on a path to new adventures.
Educating a child has nothing to do with book learning! It has everything to do with living in this messy world. When children left my class at the end of the year, my prayer was that I had taught them to be able to recognize right from wrong—according to God’s Word. In a world where they could be anything, I hoped they would become kind, compassionate, and prayer warriors for others. This concept was light years from where I started.
I prodded too much to turn them into geniuses. For that I have asked for forgiveness. But that is not what this devotion is about.
Driving a school van for foster care and challenged children has taken me out of the classroom. Everything has changed and I am grateful.
No longer am I grading papers and writing lesson plans but instead, I’m listening and interacting on a totally different level. Day after day they hop aboard and share what they did the night before, what went wrong (trouble they got into), and their concerns about the future. (This includes having their first girlfriend!)
While getting to drive around the back roads of beautiful Pennsylvania and seeing all kinds of critters and scenery, my thinking has changed. Not focusing on education, but on their spiritual, physical, and emotional safety. Yes, encouraging them to learn is still there, but more importantly, both Michael and I are drivers and have found ways to share hope.
So why did I write this? We can all be ambassadors for Christ. Yes, even van drivers! Perhaps we need to become humbler. Our motivation is far more important than the title. He knows those who take refuge in Him and that is truly all that matters.
Gracious Father, we thank You for opening our earthly eyes to what is important to You. Help us to find the right words as we share with others. AMEN.
Photo: Mo Johnston