I started my fourteenth year of teaching. After all these years, you'd think I would be a pro when it comes to the first day of school. I wouldn't have any nervousness and I'd be "cool" the whole time.
Far from it. I still have nightmares leading up to the first day. Usually my class is rowdy and unmanageable. The students refuse to listen. I show up to school and slowly lose my clothing throughout the day. Crazy dreams. Thankfully none of them ever come true. The morning of the first day, my stomach is in knots. Forget butterflies. I think I have dogs running around in there. I play it cool on the outside, but inside is a battlefield. Please tell me I'm not the only teacher who goes through this.
I consider my first day of school my nemesis. What is a nemesis? you may ask. It is a long-standing rival or an archenemy. First day of school has been my rival since I was in kindergarten.
I think about others who have or had a nemesis. Eve and the Serpent. Abel and Cain. Joseph and his brothers. David and Saul. David and Goliath. Daniel and the Persian princes. Jesus and Satan. There are so many in the Bible.
Eve succumbed to her nemesis, hence the reason we are in this sinfilled world. Abel succumbed to his as Cain killed him. But the others mentioned? They all overcame. David ran for his life many times but was able to become king of the Israelites. The giant fell when David trusted in God. Daniel survived his trip to the lion's den despite the tactics of the Persians. Jesus. Praise the Lord! Jesus overcame. And now we too can overcome. Herod tried to kill Him, Satan tried to tempt Him, the Jews tried to stone Him, the Jews tempted Him, and the Romans crucified Him because of the Jews. But He overcame. Death could not hold Him down. He rose again!
So yes, the first day of school is my nemesis. But Jesus overcame so I am able to do the same. He was victorious so I can be victorious! I am sure one day I will let the dogs out! One day not even butterflies will fill my stomach. The nightmares will vanish. I will overcome! And so will you! You can be like Jesus! You can defeat your nemesis. You can do it! But only By God's Amazing Grace!
Little Bit and I were walking her dog when she said something quite profound.
"People who love Jesus don't make fun of others."
So simple, yet so profound.
Yet we do it all the time. For simple reasons or malicious. Either way, a huge majority of people make fun of others. I have heard so many times, "If I didn't love you, I wouldn't pick on you." Then don't love me so much. I understand Proverbs 27:6, "Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but deceitful are the kisses of an enemy." But why are we going out of our way to wound our friends? Why do we purposely wound the ones we love.
I had a conversation with a friend and we actually were talking about this. When we get comfortable with those we love, we let our guard down and become snappy and hurtful. But neither one of us want to be this way.
I remember when the Hubs and I first got married. I was extremely quick witted and would say hurtful things. It was not my intention to be hurtful, but to be funny. I never would purposely hurt him. But I did hurt him nonetheless. I have learned over the years to be more kind to him and not make him the butt of a joke. Does it still happen? Occasionally. But not like it used to. Ephesians 4:29 says, "Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear." When I was joking with him, I was not building him up, but instead, tearing him down.
There have been many people in our lives that have used joking as a way to "love" us, but instead, it tears us down. Luke 6:45 says, "The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks."
Now am I saying that those that joke are evil? No. I am not saying that. God knows the heart. I don't. What I am saying is, if we say we love someone, shouldn't our actions and WORDS express that? What do we gain from joking about someone by tearing them down? There is a difference between joking with and joking about. I love to tell jokes. I have come to learn the difference and have done my best to refrain from joking about someone. I know I have hurt people's feelings. I know my feelings have been hurt in return. Those wounds may be faithful, but why do there need to be wounds in the first place?
We need to remember Philippians 4:8, "Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are honest, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report: if there is any virtue, if there be any praise, think on these things."
Is joking true. Someone may go the speed limit. But that doesn't mean you need to make fun of them for driving slow.
But is joking may be honest, which actually means honourable? How does joking about someone honor them?
Is joking just? Is it righteous? If it hurts someone, I don't see how it could be.
Is joking pure? Is it sacred or exciting reverence? Well...who was the shortest man in the Bible? Bildad, the Shuhite. It comes from the Bible. But I'm not making fun of anyone.
Is joking lovely? Is it acceptable and pleasing? To others around, it may seem as much. But is it pleasing to hear, "Oh don't listen to her. Her opinion doesn't matter?" when said in jest? Not at all.
Is joking of a good report? If you compare a preacher to someone who puts you to sleep, is that a good report? I think not.
Is there any virtue in joking? Is there moral goodness?
Is joking praiseworthy? I used to think so. But I was so wrong. There is nothing praiseworthy about tearing someone down, even if it was said in jest.
Is this something I still need to work on? Oh, yes. For sure. But I know I can change. I know I don't have to give faithful wounds to my friends. I don't want to wound anyone. Period. Friend or enemy. But I know I can change. I can apply Philippians 4:8 to my words. This is possible only By God's Amazing Grace.
As August is starting, school is becoming more of a reality. How school will look when it actually begins is still up in the air, many families still have big decisions to make. Are we sending our kid back into a normal classroom? Are we going to have our kid learn virtually? What about home school? There are quite a few options this year. Many families don’t have the option to home school or for virtual learning.
When both parents have to work, the child staying home is not an option. There are many parents not willing to send their child back to school with all the uncertainties right now.
Schools are working hard to come up with a plan to ensure the health and safety of every student that walks through the doors. Do we wear masks? What will the classroom size look like? Will students change classrooms? What will electives look like? So many questions and some of those can’t be answered at this time due to regulations not be handed down yet. Law makers have not made a decision yet. Teachers are being challenged quite a bit this year. With all the changes, teachers have to learn new methods of delivery. Zoom, google classroom, meet, bitmoji classroom, online instruction while teaching in person. So much learning. Teachers want the best for their students.
This isn’t the first time students have been in this situation. There were a group of students who were removed from their homes and sent to a government supported private boarding school. There was no home leave or vacations. The students were not allowed to speak with their parents. Everything changed for them overnight. They were captives of the country. What did they do wrong? Nothing. They were Israelites and the Babylonians took them captive. Daniel, Shadrach, Meshack, and Abednego were among the captives. And they excelled at the new school. Even though they were put in trying positions, they still were the top of their class. They passed all their tests and never compromised once. But how? How were they able to stand strong in a foreign country, learning the ways and customs of the Babylonians, and never once compromised or bowed a knee to anyone but God? Easy. Their first school was the home. Their parents taught them from their youth of the ways to walk in. Their parents had an active roll in their education. They knew that if they “Train up a child in the way he should go , when he is old, he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6. And Daniel and his three friends never departed from the knowledge their parents imparted on them.
Parents, true education starts at home. Our children are watching our every moves. Are our actions teaching them to trust in God or to have a lack faith? Are our children hearing the word of God from the Bible or the words of the world through music and videos? Are we raising our children to please God or the world?
Whether someone is sending their student back to the classroom, virtually or in person, remember that education begins at home. The parent is the first teacher. The Bible is the first textbook.
Your child can stand up for what is right like Daniel and his three friends did. It is possible but only By God’s Amazing Grace.
