Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord. (Psalm 34:11 NIV)
Last month, I came across this story on social media. It gave me a good chuckle, and I hope it does the same for you! It also reminded me that we should be praying for teachers.
A retired Marine Corps Sergeant decided to start a new career as a high school teacher.
Just before the school year began, he suffered a back injury and had to wear a plaster cast that covered his upper torso. Fortunately, the cast fit neatly under his shirt and wasn’t visible.
On his first day of class, he was assigned to teach the toughest group of students in the school. These rowdy kids had already heard that their new teacher was a former Marine, and they were eager to test his patience and discipline.
Calm and composed, the new teacher walked into the chaotic classroom. He opened a window wide and sat down at his desk. A sudden gust of wind caused his tie to flap wildly. Without hesitation, he grabbed a stapler, calmly stapled his tie to his chest, and continued as if nothing had happened.
The room fell into complete silence.
Needless to say, the rest of the year went exceptionally smoothly.
God,
Thank you for those you have called to teach. Regardless of the setting or the level, we pray today that you would strengthen each teacher’s faith in you, so they can impart your wisdom to the students they serve. Provide for their financial and other needs, and equip them with the resources necessary for their work.
Protect them from ungodliness and fill them with your Word and Spirit. In schools and classrooms that face challenges, grant teachers and administrators the courage and discipline they need to guide students toward good and godly paths. Help these students to learn the skills they need, develop the character you desire for them, and live as Salt and Light in this world.
We ask all of this in Jesus’s name. Amen.
“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. … (Matthew 5:13-16 NIV)