Education Through Christian Eyes: Help and Hope for Today’s Christian Teacher

By Deborah Stephens Davis

Teacher, are your tired, overwhelmed, discouraged, or frustrated? You are not alone! You have a very real God who has called you to a very difficult task. He wants you to find rest, strength, encouragement, and peace in Him. He is waiting to revive and renew you to fulfill His purpose! This book is based on the Gospel of John and is designed to help you see the spiritual value of what you are doing.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Apr 12, 2021
• ISBN: 9781664206342

Deborah Stephens Davis

Upon finishing her first degree, a BA in Bible, Davis began working for Zig Ziglar, motivational speaker, and Mamie McCullough, “The I Can Lady”, who encouraged her to return to school and become a teacher. She did just that and began her teaching career in a 4th grade classroom. Throughout her teaching career, Davis has worked in public and private schools and has taught Pre-school, Pre-K, Kinder, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 6th, 7th, and 8th grade special education and 10th grades, as well as college classes. She has an earned doctorate from Texas A&M Corpus Christi and her dissertation focused on how technology has shaped the discourse surrounding literacy. During her time as a tenured professor at A&M University – Central Texas, Davis served as an undergraduate and graduate professor as well as Department Chair. Davis’ has also worked in the public arena writing curriculum for businesses.

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Copyright © 2021 Deborah Stephens Davis.

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Scripture taken from the New King James Version® Copyright © 1982

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ISBN: 978-1-6642-0635-9 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-6642-0634-2 (e)

WestBow Press rev. date: 4/12/2021

CONTENTS

First things First

We need Wine

Cleaning out the Schoolhouse

Childlike, it’s a good thing

Let the living water flow

Harvest Time is Hard Work

Belief is the Key

Throw Him In

Feed the People

Getting Wet

We Want To Do What You Do

Jumping Ship

Just Think About It

Kindergarten Lesson #1: Don’t Throw Rocks

Kindergarten Lesson #2: Playing With Mud is Good

Kick Him Out

Counting Sheep

Death isn’t always Fatal

Pour it on

Roll up your sleeves and get a towel

Keeping the main thing the main thing

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FIRST THINGS FIRST

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him nothing was made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. (John 1:1–5)

I love the nostalgic feel of this verse. It goes right back to the first statement in Genesis. In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. This is such a powerful and universally understood verse. Anyone who has experience with the Pentateuch (first five books of the Jewish and Christian Bible) and hears this statement from John can, because of the reference to Genesis, have an immediate connection to the power described in these few words. The phrase in the beginning that John uses means from the beginning of time. The phrase in the beginning found in Genesis actually means at the beginning of the job or work. Regardless of the differences in meaning, John takes us right to the beginning of creation and places us at the start of the eternity time line.

It is also interesting that the words for God, although different, are translated roughly the same. Elohim is the word used for God in Genesis 1:1. It is the Hebrew word for the most powerful, sovereign God, and here it is written in the plural form. Because of the plural form of the word, we know the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are all present. John 1:1 also supports the notion of plurality and the concept of sovereignty. Although personally encouraging, the powerful nature of the name of God is not the focus for me. My focus is on the word word. What is the word of God? Christians everywhere refer to the Scriptures as the word of God, and the prophets referred to their prophecies as the word of God. The reality is, the word of God is the physical, tangible intent (plan, love, promise) of God. So when John tells us that Jesus is the Word, he is saying a couple of things. First, Jesus is the physical plan, love, and promise of God. I really like that! He is not separate from God but is a part of God. This is designating a place for him that is above teacher, prophet, and son. It is making Jesus equal with God and a part of God. Second, Jesus is power—pure, creative, unadulterated power.

Let’s look back to Genesis. How did God create every- thing? He spoke it, right? What did he speak? He spoke the Word, his intent, his plan. He spoke the Word, and creation came into being. Amazing! Jesus as the Word is the beginning of all creation, which is why creation makes no sense apart from Him. John goes on to talk about Jesus having life. Imagine the picture here: Jesus is the Word that literally brought life upon the earth, but that is not all. The life he brings is also the light that brings clarity to men. I have always been amazed how much difference a little light makes. The light that Jesus brings is not just a little light that helps us to see the blessings and dangers in our path it is powerful and brings with it a knowledge of purpose. Remember, Jesus is the physical representation of God’s plan. He is and holds life and light. Furthermore, we know that the world did not accept Him. The inhabitants of the world entangled in their own quest for power and perceived freedom could not surrender to the light; so on a dark day at Golgotha, they nailed the Word and Light of God to a cross.

The Word for Education

Just how does all of this connect to education? It all comes together within the relationship between Jesus and the teacher and produces powerful manifestations: power, creativity, life, and light. Let’s start with power. Right now, in classrooms everywhere, who holds the power? Students might say that teachers hold the power, teachers might say that administrators hold the power, administrators might answer in a multitude of ways depending on the relationships they have with their teachers. Power is a tricky thing. The reality is, the power is held by whoever or whatever the teacher gives it to. The power in the classroom is truly the teacher’s to hold or give away. Often, teachers give the power away based on a perception of what is mandated or necessary. They give the power to operate the classrooms to administration based on the words in the student code of conduct, which tells teachers what to do when students get out of hand or deviate from the accepted norm. Teachers hand over power to choose curriculum to guide- lines that come in the form of Core Standards or TEKS (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills). Teachers hand over the power for determining the truth of the material to to textbooks or commentaries on sources. Teachers relinquish the power of determining personal behavior, teaching strategies, or beliefs to theories, research, and best practices. Every time power is relinquished, it is given away based on a word, whether written or spoken. Why is it given based on a word? Words have power. Even in our puny physical world, words, written or spoken, have power because they are an echo of the original Word, the Word of God. They are a weak copy but not without power. As the word proceeded out of God’s mouth and created life, our words also have the ability to create life. The power of the word is double-edged, as revealed in Proverbs 18:21, Death and life are in the power of the tongue. Isn’t it amazing how the word, written or spoken, assumes power? Isn’t it frightening how the power of the word can be creative or destructive? So what can teachers do about all of it? Teachers, your words are powerful too! You have the ability to look for the truth in every word and then compare it with the truth you know from the Word, God’s plan. Just how is this comparison done? You look at the fruit and you look at the roots. The fruit of any word, plan, directive, etc. demonstrates where that word has led in the past and where it will lead in the future. It is important to look at the results. It is more important to look at the roots. It is the roots that tell the origin. There are many directives in schools today that produce results; however, one look at the roots may uncover a theory that is anti-Christian in nature. Teachers must be wise in all of their choices. Teacher, you are responsible for every word you utter and every word to which you allow yourself to become subject. This sounds a lot like a huge battle. It is! The stakes are high! God puts the power to choose in your hands for the same reason he gives you creativity; he wants you to use it.

Creativity is a divine attribute that is uniquely expressed through God’s people. It is not about being artsy, crafty, or cute. Creativity has everything to do with presenting each message, idea, or concept in a way that brings life. Look back at John 1:3. Everything that was made was made through Jesus. Hey, friend, you are connected to the source. The connection to Christ gives everyone the ability to bring the message of life, which includes the gospel, but is not limited to it. Are you living in a way in which people around you see you creating life-giving experiences? Do you create life in others? Do you create environments that bring others into your experiences of abundant, exciting, and authentic life? Do you have creativity and the vitality that come from it oozing from your pores? You must! You either represent creativity, originality, and inspiration, or you represent sterility, monotony, and imitation. Which one are you? Creativity means you are able to tap into the creative power of Christ and create environments, relationships, and opportunities that bring life abundantly. The word life brings us to the next point.

Life was in Jesus, and that life was the light. We are told in John 10:10 that Jesus came to bring life abundantly. There were no determiners in front of the word life. How I wish he would have said, I have come that they may have (easy, fun, perfect, happy) life, and that they may have it more abundantly. Too bad, that is not what he said. He said, I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. All life is what he was talking about.

Life is the good and the bad, the easy and the hard, the successes and the failures. The abundance comes from the knowledge that all of it has value. All of it is precious! Abundant life means that we don’t have the luxury of living on autopilot. Each moment, easy or difficult, is vitally important. People who do not know Christ, do not have abundant life. That kind of life only comes through a connection with Jesus. The only way they will know that type of life exists is by seeing it in you. The only way they will see it in you is for you to create a world where your experience of abundant life is visible. This is not perpetual happiness! Abundant life is demonstrating, in a very real way, how each experience in life, good and bad, is important. Your students need to see you living abundantly. They need to see you accept your own faults and failures, not hide from them. Abundant life is real. Students crave the real. Students want to feel the connection to abundant life. Students need to experience power and creativity. How can you make your teaching bigger and more real? How can you be a life-bringer to your students?

John writes that the life inside of Jesus was the light of men. Light, as any child knows, has the power to make an environment visible. It allows one to observe the beauty and the danger hidden in the dark. Light brings warmth, encouragement, and vision. The life inside of Jesus does all of this for those who believe. Once we accept that light, we then become a source of it. Ephesians 5:8 tells us that we are children of light. We are able to bring warmth, encouragement, and vision to those around us. Our classes should reflect our existence in the light. It is here that I feel I must issue a stern warning. Light in a dark world is a bright target for those who love the darkness. It takes courage and resolve to boldly walk in the light. Living as one with the Word of God requires a choice; either be a bright blazing target or do not follow. There is no way to do both. If you truly