Thursday, May 16, 2019

Their Eyes See Everything, Teachers and the Kingdom of God

Jesus said that our children own the kingdom of heaven. I think it is because of what they haven't leaned and the potential that they have to learn everything. What do you do though when you can't teach a child anything because they are suffering? What do you do when the conditions in the classrooms and the lives our young students are so broken down you just hope to get through the day? When you are a teacher or educator you can do anything but look away.  Teachers are servant ministers engaging in a higher calling that we have failed to recognize.

In society, so often it is easier to look away when something makes us uncomfortable. When someone is underdressed, underfed, smelly, sick and neglected in public most people just look away. Teachers see kids like this every day.  They cannot close their eyes to those students who are suffering. Those eyes have been trained to see. Their hearts naturally feel as ministers of our children they feel deeply. How I wish the eyes of others would be opened to the suffering of our children and their caregivers during the school day. Teachers see with the eyes of the Spirit. They see people who long to made whole and accepted. People who have potential and an open book of life before them.

I remember when my kids were old enough to begin washing dishes and laundry. I told my husband, I love them, but I don't want them to be dependent on me for everything so they must learn! I tried to give them every tool I had to create independence for life.  Independence is one thing, neglect is another. I wanted my kids to stand on their own two feet but never ever stand alone.

 Awaken your eyes to the sounds of those around you are vulnerable and have no voice. Do not turn away from those who are crying out to you even though there are no tears left to cry with.
Neglect is 100% an ugly animal that exists in our school children's everyday lives. In just a few days I have seen neglect so obvious that I wonder how my teachers are able to get out of bed each day and uphold the duties of teaching.  Being immersed in pain that been inflicted by uncaring people on their students, how can they teach after seeing so much? Somehow they do, gifted as they are but it comes with a great personal cost.

The student who must learn in order to "be something" is tired, hungry, cold, unbathed, teased because of conditions outside of their control.  They are expected to produce work to show what they know, yet stress and worry leave so little room in their heads for textbook learning. The teacher who must teach in spite of worry, a broken heart, and anger when they have the courage to confront these things, they must still teach. It robs so many of the moments that they needed for positivity. Students who are not neglected suffer because of the difficulty making relationships with the ones who suffer is tough. It is hard to be friends with kids who don't have the tools to be social or conditions that are easy to cope with. Regardless of where you are in the classroom, the teachers see them all.

We need to be ever ready to help our teachers. We need to bring blessings to them.  They are the hands and feet of Jesus during the day as servant ministers of knowledge. If children own the kingdom and teachers are giving them the building blocks for it they should be the highest on our list of who to help.

From Doctrine and Covenants 162:6a. From the earliest days, you have been given a sacred principle that declares the inestimable worth of all persons. Do not forget. 
b. The One who created all humankind grieves at the shameful divisions within the human family. A prophetic people must work tirelessly to tear down walls of separation and to build bridges of understanding. 
c. You hold precious lives in your hands. Be gentle and gracious with one another. A community is no stronger than the weakest within it. Even as the One you follow reached out to those who were rejected and marginalized, so must the community that bears his name. 

School houses are nations in the kingdom of God all of their own that suffer from the human divisions. Prayers are great and appreciated, but breathing bodies that care are needed just as much. Teachers are vessels of blessings that long to be poured out into cups that can overflow. It's just that when all of the energies are based on just getting through everything, the contents become splashed all over. Some cups are filled and others are completely empty. It is a difficult thing to be so full of servant desires with hopes and dreams but to also be immeshed in the forefront of human suffering. It creates sorrow in ways that cannot be expressed.

Teachers, I know that the time is here when you are just hanging on to your sanity. Many of your kids have been neglected and it is the worst feeling in the world to try to teach and heal at the same time. I am no real teacher, just a lady who had enough credits to be a sub. If there is nothing more I can do, I will be a voice, I will stand up for you. I will recognize the powerful ministry that you give.


To our community, it is time for us to put our best foot forward and empower the people that are building our kingdom so diligently. The time is now. Will you join your teachers and help? Will you help build the kingdom in this way? If anything will you hug your teachers and love them? Will you offer support to them as they care for our kids?


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