My
Intended Purpose
When Christians
are in a period in life that inquires direction, people often ask the question
and ponder “what is God’s will for my life?” It is a common question when
people are in a place of transition, hardship, confusion, or any other type of
circumstance in life where the next stepping stone is not visibly laid out for
them. People want to know what it is they ought to do and how to do it, with
some sort of revelation to get them going. Teachers are no exception to this,
as one may find him or herself standing at crossroads that requires them to
make decisions out of response to students, other teachers, administrations,
parents, and the community.
The answer is
actually in the form of the question. Rather than asking “what is God’s will
for my life?” we ought to be asking “what is my purpose?” A brick layer that is
contemplating on what he should be doing in his line of work only needs to look
at his job description: to lay down bricks!
Therefore,
Christians only need to look at what is their intended purpose, what they were
made for… which is to be the image of God. “We are not God, but as the image or
reflection of God, we must show what the reality of God is like. As a
reflection, we must then display the attributes of God in all dimensions of
life as God enables us to do so” (Graham, p. 74). As Christians we are to
restore that purpose.
People will
distort purpose by making it about them rather than focusing on God’s purpose
for us—a result of human sin. As a teacher restoring purpose, it does not
require him or her to be preachy, and they may not even be able to do so
anyways because of policies that restricts them from doing so. But they can
still live out their purpose by instilling rational, creativity, morals,
freedom and responsibility, and faith that reflects Christ.
As educators, and
foremost believers, we have a responsibility to bring truths about their
designed purpose into revelation. “The education process must again provide the
opportunity for students to make choices and live with the consequences of
those choices” (Graham, p. 81). Though we cannot talk about faith in public
schools, we can challenge them to reflect on their belief systems. We are to
have them consider if the structure that is their belief system is built on a
foundation that is reflective of truth and reality.
Relationally, we
too ought to reflect the image of God, as it “is an expression of the
communication and fellowship within the Trinity” (Graham, p. 85). Our
relationship, or fellowship with students, should be reflective of God’s
relationship with us. We should be loving, caring, protective, nourishing,
faithful, sacrificial, merciful, amidst others things that should be embodied
in our relationship with our students just as God is for with us.
In John 13:34-35
it says, “a new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I
have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know
that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” For us to live
our life that exemplifies a reflection of Christ in all that we do, we must
become true thinkers, people that make decisions that are rooted from their intended
purpose.
Part of it is that
we must realize that we are sinful and as a result try to distort reality to
suit our comforts. Therefore, we must “seek the Lord and his strength; seek his
presence continually!” (Psalms 105:4). We have to look at our intended design,
but we have to also take into account of where we are at in life, the fallen
world that sin has dragged us into.
Despite our flaws
God has given his grace and redeemed us, but the reality that we must
acknowledge is that not everyone will be saved. This is hard to swallow, for
“teachers will quickly face the problem of how to teach a class that may well
contain such a mixture of students” (Graham, p. 102). As a teacher and a
Christian I will encounter hundreds of students in my job, which I will aspire
to mirror the love of God with each one; but I have to come to recognize that
despite all the time and energy that I pour into the students it is only by
grace will their life be transformed. I need to be reminded every day I just
need to go out and be who I was made to be, and leave the results to God.
References
Graham,
D. L. (2003). Teaching redemptively, bringing grace and truth into your
classroom. Colorado Springs, CO: Purposeful Design Publications
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