Teacher, Teacher!


“Teacher, I made up my mind. I am going to be a vegetarian. I was reading in the Bible, and it said that Daniel was smarter when he decided not to eat meat, and Jesus was tempted about food in the wilderness, and there are several verses about taking good care of our bodies. I figured that if the Bible talks about it so much, it must be really important.”

“Teacher, I don’t think that there have ever been any missionaries to my tribe. I don’t know of any. All my villagers worship trees and other things and are very frightened of the spirits, and they need to hear about Jesus. I want to stay here for two years, then I want to go back to my village to start a school and teach them about Jesus.”

“Teacher, right before I came here, I went to visit the village where I was born. I had not been there in a really long time, but I found that it is a very beautiful place. They do not have Bibles, and they do not know much about Christianity. They built a church because they heard it was good to have one, but they have no pastor to teach them. They also don’t have Bibles, so they are confused about Sabbath and Sunday. I don’t think that any missionary has ever gone there. Someone must go and tell them about Jesus.”

“Teacher, I want to be a better person, and I want you to help me. If I am doing something that is wrong, please talk to me about it, even if it hurts me.”

“Teacher, will you come to our village and teach us English, and about the Bible? We don’t know anything about the Bible, and we want to know.”

“Teacher, will you come teach us about good and bad music like you did for your students? Will you go to our village and teach them too? We did not know that music was important, our people need to know this!”

These are just a few of the comments we have heard recently. There are times when we get discouraged and tired, but then we hear”Teacher….” and we are reminded just why we are here.

This school year has been made really difficult because of circumstances beyond our control. At times it seems that our school year has been almost pointless from a teaching standpoint. But when you really stop to think about it, our job really has very little to do with us. We are here, willing to be or do anything for God, but it is HIS job to convict hearts, and change people’s lives. So, whether or not we are able to teach consistently or not, the Holy Spirit still works on hearts, even when we can’t.

“Christ made full provision for the prosecution of the work entrusted to the disciples, and took upon Himself the responsibility of its success. So long as they obeyed his word, and worked in connection with Him, they could not fail. Go to all nations, He bade them. Go to the farthest part of the habitable globe, but know that my presence will be there. Labor in faith and confidence, for the time will never come when I will forsake you…The lapse of time has wrought no change in His parting promise. He is with us today as truly as He was with the disciples, and He will be with us “even unto the end.” 8T, 16.3-17.1

One Comment On “Teacher, Teacher!”

  1. I can completely understand what it’s like to deal with struggles and discouragement; but hearing those beautiful words from a precious student truly makes it all worth the effort. God is so good to provide us with that encouragement when we most need it!
    Praying for the work you’re doing there!

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