Teacher Tips

A SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHER MEDITATION

WHICH LIFE ARE YOU LIVING?

1.  A Hurried Life—You always feel behind, sacrificing time with family and friends to overcome the feelings of guilt you experience when you're not working. You get headaches, backaches, and stomachaches—and you find it difficult to relax.

Research has found these Type A personality traits reflect a stressful lifestyle. The hurried lifestyle can be fatal; the Japanese call it karoshi—death from overwork. A hurried lifestyle eventually leads to neglect and oversight of people and details. If you're in constant overdrive, it can be fatal to your teaching ministry.

God's Promise for the Hurried Life

“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” Psalm 46:10

2.  A Heavy Life—You feel as if you're carrying a burden and a lot of responsibility. The word “no” has wandered far from your vocabulary, and you feel like the master juggler of life's demands. Although your teaching may shine, inside you're like an anchor slowly making its way to the bottom of the sea.

God's Promise for the Heavy Life

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11: 28

3.  A Heated Life—This is the I'm ready to snap lifestyle. For these people, little things tend to become big things and overreaction gives way to irrationalism. A lack of patience and loss of temper tell your students that you're unapproachable, undermining your stability as a teacher.

God's Promise for the Heated Life

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7

4.  A Hollow Life—No purpose, no goals, and no focus. You're treading water and barely staying afloat. You've resorted to just doing the job rather than serving God. Be cautious. Your attitude will set your students adrift to just go through the motions themselves.

God's Promise for the Hollow Life

“For surely I know the plans I have for you, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope.” Jeremiah 29:11

5.  A Healthy Life—A healthy lifestyle reflects the things of God, not the circumstances around you. Keeping your focus on Christ as you deal with people and situations will model a Christlike attitude for your students. Change your focus, allow God's Word to infect your attitude, and watch your life change.

God's Promise for the Healthy Life

“For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and has human approval.” Romans 14:17-18

Adapted from Children's Ministry/July/August 2001