The life of a teacher...

A verse in James really hit home for me today. The one that says "Be not many teachers, for they shall receive the stricter judgment." Today was full of ups and downs as far as teaching goes!

Every Monday, I teach piano lessons from 4:00-9:00pm. It is draining, thrilling, exasperating, and beautiful work! Tonight was especially difficult though. Many of my students simply fail to practice. Last week I made up a contest for all my students hoping that it would motivate the lazy ones to get a move on it! Well, not only did it not work for most of the students...it was worse than ever! I finally had a serious conversation with one of the girls. I asked if she practiced and she giggled and said “no.” At that point I had had enough so I just said, "Ya know, I don't even find this funny." Good grief...her mother was standing right there. I do not know what got into me! I am almost certain that she was crying. Then one of the guys I was teaching kept asking me obvious questions. "Um...is this an F?" I just shrugged and said, "You know how to read music." What do my students think that I am...their personal maid who was put on earth to read their music for them?? Then another student would literally whine when I would ask her to do something and exclaim, “It’s too hard!” I lost all formality and started imitating her…it was SO ridiculous!

I vented to myself the entire way home. I was definitely not looking forward to only having 15 minutes to gulp down a late dinner before two more students arrived for lessons. The two sisters walked in and I began to get things settled and start teaching. The younger girl said, "We have skirts just like you this week." I had not even noticed, but I glanced down at both of them to see the long denim skirts that they were wearing. Still not thinking much of it I said, "Oh! It is a denim skirt kind of a day." The older girl said, "We went home last week and told our mom that we wanted a skirt like you had. My mom decided that we were not going to wear short skirts anymore. We're just going to get the long jean ones now."

I chuckled to the Lord. Is that not just like Him, to humble me in that way? Just as I am in a frustrating day, reacting to people, being self-centered and losing my mind; He shows me what a responsibility it is to be a teacher. Those kids are watching me. They notice the good as well as the bad! I was encouraged that these girls now wanted to dress modestly but I was ashamed that I had not taken more of an opportunity to display God's truth through my life.

Be not many teachers, for they will receive the stricter judgment. The attitudes that I am betraying to these young people is a serious issue in the eyes of my God. I pray that He will give me the grace to get myself out of the way each time that I teach and allow Him to use me in whatever way that He sees fit.

And now, I must confess that I am in my room by myself, lost in hysterical laughter. Ya’ll should have seen me tonight. The fact that I am admitting to half of this is ludicrous. Oh my word…