Pray For Teachers

With the school year now underway, you have no doubt established a routine of getting your kids up in the morning, dropping them off to school and picking them up in the afternoon. Some of you may even include a time of prayer, either before or after school, for your children's safety and success in their studies. But have you ever prayed for those men and women who are responsible for your children's welfare during the day?

Children spend more of their waking moments with their teachers than they do with their parents. Teachers can and do exert a considerable amount of influence over your children.  I am sure you can recall some favorite teacher who inspired you and helped to make you the man or woman you are today. For some children, the only guidance or show of love they will ever receive is from a teacher. And this is why we need to pray for them.

As someone whose first career was teaching, I know how challenging this job can be. It's not easy to try to mold the lives of thirty-odd children with varying needs, abilities and backgrounds. Yet, this is what teachers do everyday. In recent times, teaching has become more demanding. Teachers' skills, patience and even their safety are being tested all the time. We need to pray that God will give our teachers the grace, wisdom and strength necessary to keep on giving their best even when things get tough.

Let us pray that teachers will not become "weary in well doing" (Galatians 6: 9) but will work "Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart" (Ephesians 6: 6) and that God will "Make them perfect in every good work to do his will, working in them that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever" (Hebrews 13: 21). 

If you wish to encourage a special teacher in a tangible way, here are some ways you can do it:

a. Write a note to the teacher(s) letting them know you appreciate their hard work and that you are praying for them. 

b. Give a gift - a mug filled with chocolate, a small basket of apples, nicely wrapped, or a daily planner decorated and signed by you and your child. 

For more ideas, see the link below.  

If you enjoyed this blog post, why not share it with your friends on Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest by clicking the relevant button below? Until next time, may God keep on holding you in the palm of His hands.

When Should You Teach Your Kids About Jesus?

Suffer the Little Children to Come Unto Me (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This question was asked in a forum I visited last week. A young woman wanted to know how to introduce the subject to her seven-year-old nephew who is also her godson. One person suggested teaching by example, another suggested it was not her place to do that; she should first consult with his parents. I told her what I do with my own little grand-daughter and what I did with my older grandchildren - read them Bible stories, give them coloring books with pictures of Jesus and other Biblical characters and teach them children's hymns.

I think this woman's heart is in the right place. She did not say if her nephew's parents are Christians. We don't know if the child gets any Christian teaching at home, and in today's culture he is not going to get any in school - unless he goes to a Christian school - or from the media. Jesus said, "Suffer little children and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 19: 14).

So, at what age should we begin teaching children about Jesus? If you are the mother, I would say, from the womb. Studies have shown that babies hear their mother's voice while they are still in the womb, therefore if you sing Christian songs to him, he will hear and pick up on that. After he is born, you continue singing and doing the other things mentioned above.  And, of course, pray with him and take him to church.

I am proud to say that the church I attend has a very strong child development center, and the children from four years and up are active in church. They sing, dance, read the Bible and participate in plays. This morning, a little girl who seemed no older than seven did the scripture reading. The Bible says, "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old , he will not depart from it" (Proverbs 22: 6). Is this what you want for your children? Then start early.

Listen to the video below of a seven-year-old girl singing Amazing Grace.

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• How do I teach my child about Jesus? {Resources for Preschool Bible and Devotion Time}

The Greatest Teacher

They called Him "Rabbi", "Teacher" and "Master", names which seem to adequately fit one of the roles Jesus performed while on earth. But how did He, the Son of God, come to be called by these names?

Luke's gospel gives us a view into the life of Jesus when He was a child. While He and his parents were in Jerusalem for the passover feast, they missed Him and later found Him in the temple "sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions" (2:46).

This scene set the stage for Jesus' ministry. The Bible gives accounts of a lot of miracles that He performed, but most of the time we see Him teaching. Mark 12:35 and Luke 19:47 show Him teaching daily in the temple. In John 7:14 He is teaching during the feast of tabernacles.

However the temple was not His only classroom. The streets, a fishing boat, people's homes, the shores of Galillee and the famous Mount of Olives all became His platform. And He taught not only in the day, but in the night as well. Remember Nicodemus? A ruler of the Jews? He came to Jesus by night, and Jesus didn't turn him away(John 3:2).

He taught them the three Rs.

He taught them how to read the Scriptures. "What is written in the law? how readest thou?(Matthew 10:26). "Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him; How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him,(12:3) And He read the Scriptures to them often. "And He came to Nazareth where he had been brought up: and as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read(Luke 4:16).

He taught them the right things. "Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself"(Matthew 20:19). "Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them:for this is the law and the prophets"(5:46).

And, yes, he taught them 'rithmetic. "For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?" (Luke 14:28). "For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul?(Matthew 16:26).

Jesus' teachings were different from those taught in schools, however they never grew redundant or obsolete. They are relevant now as they were two thousand years ago. If we would only follow them, we would gain a diploma that would put us in good stead not only in this life, but in the life to come.