About six weeks ago my life suddenly shifted when, with one unexpected
phone call, I went from being a Bible Study teacher, MOPS leader, devotion
writer, and sometimes substitute teacher, to posing as a full-time algebra
instructor at the local high school.
Though my college diploma boldly declares I earned a degree in teaching the
subject of mathematics, the decades since graduation have not been kind to my
knowledge of absolute value inequalities or binomial theorem, so I spend all
free time in the day and most of my minutes at night studying and solving the
stuff I teach to scores of students the next morning! (Algebra 1 is doable, but I’m shocked at how
much I don’t remember about Algebra 2!)
This new venture has shaken my schedule and modified my
priorities. If you are kind enough to
read what I write, you may have noticed that my flow of words has faltered as
of late, and quadratic equations are to blame!
Hopefully, as my math mind comes around, I can pick up the pen more
often, for I so miss pondering and passing on tasty morsels from God’s Word. But the intermission has been enlightening.
To be honest, during the past several weeks, I’ve learned more
than I’ve taught—both about math and about myself, and I’d like to share a bit
of my newly-acquired (or freshly-experienced) knowledge. For starters, I’ve been acutely reminded that
if you don’t use it, you lose it.
Obviously, this applies to academics, but the principle holds true in
all areas of life. The love we have in
relationships wanes when we fail to connect and care. Our excitement about an opportunity fades if
we don’t make efforts to get involved and stay engaged. Our abilities tarnish if we don’t utilize our
talents, and Sunday’s sermon does little good unless what’s preached is put into
practice.
During my few days in the classroom, I’ve also realized that
it’s easier to teach the Bible loudly than to live it quietly. For the past seventeen years, I’ve spent Tuesday
mornings sharing God’s Word with wonderful women eager to listen and learn—and who
didn’t talk when I did! Tomorrow is
Tuesday, and I’ll be extolling the delights of direct variations to sleepy
students who would rather be most anywhere but math class. May I just say that teaching God’s
instruction about our tongues in James chapter 3 is much less difficult than taming
my own when classroom instructions are met with defiance and disobedience?? And
yet the kids I encounter daily need to feel love and find grace in our
interactions. The answer to the issues
they deal with, the situations they live in, and the struggles they face is
only found in the Savior they need, and though I can’t whip out the Word and
exposit Scripture at school, I can live the difference of Jesus and pray that
He reveals His truth to their tough, yet tender, hearts.
God’s design for this year is certainly different than my
own, but I realize more each day that His “way above our ways” plans are perfect
and that He gives us peace as we follow His “good,
pleasing, and perfect will”(Rom 12:2). In
the big scheme of things, math doesn’t matter much, but the late homework I
take from the kid who works two jobs, the candy I pass out to celebrate a student’s
birthday, and the open ear which has already heard stories hard and sad can be
used by God for His glory when I do them through Him and for Him.
I will keep writing as much as I can, but right
now, the classroom is right where I need to be.I’ve got a lot to learn.
