The Sacred Classroom

I have been a teacher ever since I can remember.  From my earliest days, I was helping the other kids in elementary school write essays and complete their assignments.  Later, when I became an adult and entered the workforce, I found myself being assigned duties associated with instruction and training.  Eventually I got the title of “trainer” to go along with it.  I now work as a GED instructor full-time at a local college.  I have always held to the notion that if nothing else, the classroom is a sacred space.  This is where the magic happens.  Students learn to grasp concepts, and the teachers learn to meet people where they are at.  Teaching can be both a challenge and a joy as well, depending on what type of group you are working with. 

I have often marveled at how much our lives are like a classroom when it comes to developing spiritual character.  God will often bring us into circumstances where we are required to learn something important.  And I suspect also, that we are forced to repeat these lessons until we finally master them.  C.S. Lewis once wrote that God will not keep giving us simple math questions forever.  At some point, He will move us on to Algebra.  And so it is with the sacred classroom of life.  Try as we might, it’s no good complaining when we must endure challenges and setbacks, because these are the advanced Algebra problems that we are given sometimes. 

Proverbs 4:7 tells us, “The beginning of wisdom is this: get wisdom.  Though it cost all you have, get understanding.”  And cost us it surely does.  None of us make it through this life unscathed.  We will all experience grief, sadness, and pain … but also joy, happiness, and even bouts of peace.  Trust me when I say, God is riding in the seat right next to us during this roller coaster ride.  The famous verse from Romans 5:3-4 says, “And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.”  Although it’s easy to forget the hope part while you are in the middle of the storm.    

When it comes to education, most people must overcome some type of hurdle in order to cross the finish line and get the diploma.  My own GED students often show up with dramatic deficiencies in both math and writing.  There is something about dropping out of high school in the tenth grade that produces this symptom.  Nevertheless, they show up, and we teach them.  Typically, they are writing essays and passing math tests after just a few months!  But it comes at a cost.  They are continually being introduced to new concepts and clearing hurdles that they never imagined possible.  So will you and I, if we listen and learn what God is trying to show us in our own sacred classroom. 

I wish it were all as easy as mastering a geometry problem or crafting a well written paragraph.  But no, I’m afraid in this life, God usually brings us face to face with our own sin and inadequacies.  And while looking at this difficult reflection of our incomplete selves through His mirror, the only glimmer of hope we have is Christ Jesus.  His classroom is the church, his textbook the Bible, and his teaching assistant is the Holy Spirit.  Rest assured, God will take you through the same lesson over and over again if you need it.  It may look a bit different each time, but until you conquer your pride, ambition, lust, or greed – He will steer you through the textbook in order to get to the finish line.  In His eyes, we are always worth the trouble. 

A teacher should never give up on a student, as long as the student is willing to learn and put in the effort.  If they aren’t willing, however, then they are doomed to keep taking the same test over and over again.  This will go on until they finally begin to study and prepare.  Are you and I studying in the same way?  Or are we taking tests with our eyes closed, and just hoping to pass accidentally?  Hope is a great thing, but it isn’t a solid strategy for achievement.  Listen to the great Teacher, study His Word, and then apply what you have learned in your life.  I suspect that the final exam will go better that way.  Your hope will then be well placed and rewarded. 

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