The Lesson

Devotional The Lesson

I happened to stumble upon this little touch of teacher humor (and agony) when going through my papers last week:  Thought my fellow teachers might enjoy it—laugh through the tears?

Then Jesus took his disciples up to the mountain and gathering them around Him, taught them saying:

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of God . . .

Blessed are the meek . . .

Blessed are the merciful . . .

Blessed are they that thirst after righteousness . . .

Blessed are you when persecuted . . .

Blessed are you when you suffer . . .

Be glad and rejoice for your reward is great in heaven.

Then, Simon Peter said, “Are we supposed to know this?”

And Andrew said, “Do we have to write this down?”

And Phillip asked, “Can I go to the bathroom?”

And James said, “Do we have to show our work?”

And Bartholomew said, “Do we have to turn this in?”

And John said, “The other disciples didn’t have to learn this.”

And Matthew said, “I don’t have any paper.”

And Thomas said, “Will we have a test on this?”

And Judas said, “What does this have to do with real life?”

Then one of the Pharisees who was present asked to see Jesus’ lesson plan and inquired of Jesus, “Where is your anticipatory set and your objectives in the cognitive domain?”

And Jesus wept.

No doubt written by a teacher of some experience.  =)  But there is one thing he or she forgot to mention.  God’s promise to teachers:  “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return there without watering the earth, and making it bear and sprout, and furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater; so shall My word be which goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me empty, without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.”

Teachers—rest in the truth and the promise that as you share His truth, it will change lives, just as He intends it to.  And not only in the lives of those you are teaching, but they, too, will spread His truth that you have shared with them to others He brings into their lives.  Oh, it may not be immediate—like the impact of the rainfall.  It may be snow right now piling up on a cold heart.  But when He “turns up the heat,” and the snow melts, there will be seed for the sower and bread for the eater.  Trust His promise. 

Teach on!