Living a Faith-Filled Life

In the beginning of the school I sit at my desk and imagine the happy, healthy, clean, enthusiastic children pouring into my classroom with their freshly sharpened pencils and perfect attitudes. I imagine them sitting in the seats I have assigned, getting along with their classmates in perfect harmony. One girl with a cute new haircut skips to my desk in her plaid skort and hands me a fresh apple.

Are you laughing yet?
Or can you relate?

I do sit and imagine the perfect world of my classroom in a way that is probably reminiscent of God in Genesis 1. I can even hear the narrator in my perfect world

"And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good."

Yeah, God's a lot better at creating a perfect world than I am at creating a perfect classroom.  However, I do my best every year.  Like God, I try to plan for the wants and needs of the people who will come into my world. I share the guidelines that will help us have a good year. I tell them what their purpose is and how I can help them be the best student they can be. I provide a rich learning environment and even bathroom breaks and recess. But, like Adam and Eve, they can't quite get enough. They don't agree with my guidelines.  Even when they suffer the consequences of their sins, they are reluctant to change.

Unlike God, I can't offer them a Savior to take their place. I can't give them a plan of salvation that doesn't rely on their good works.

Only God can do that.

But, I am one of his representatives.  I need to remember that He is not just a God of law. He loves and forgives. He is always here for me. He encourages me to use my gifts and persevere through my weaknesses.  He completes and erases every shortcoming and flaw I possess.

As a teacher, I practice justice and forgiveness. I remember that my perfect world won't be perfect without students.  And, we'll have to live together for only a school year, so this is my chance to share God with them.