HIDDEN FRUIT – 10/16/18

HIDDEN FRUIT
October 16, 2018

Prayer :God, help us find the hidden fruit in Your classrooms and schools. Help us touch the students, look beneath the surface of their lives, get on our knees for them and gently lift them up.

Scripture: “When you bear a lot of fruit it brings glory to my Father.” John 15:8 NIV

I looked at the cucumbers growing in my garden. I thought they were in their blossoming stage. I stooped down and touched several of the large green leaves to look beneath them and saw a huge mature cucumber! I got on my knees and thoroughly searched through the entire bed. I gently lifted the mature fruits off the ground and turned them until they broke free from the vine. When I was finished picking, there were 20 to 25 pounds of cucumbers! My basket was overflowing!

Have you ever looked out over your classroom and thought that your efforts were bearing little fruit? The following are suggestions to help you find hidden fruit in your classroom garden.
1) Physically and emotionally touch the students. Each day when the students walk in the classroom, greet them with a smile and a handshake or side hug. For many it will be the only human touch they receive all day. As you shake their hand, pray in your heart and mind (NOT aloud), “Jesus, touch them.” Praise and thank students frequently for specific things they are doing well. It may be the only thanks and praise they receive from anyone all day. Bring them small gifts periodically such as homemade cookies, fruit, unique pencils, etc. Search dollar stores for unique gifts. Acknowledge students and give them some small tokens of appreciation on their birthdays.
2) Look beneath the surface of your students’ lives (leaves). Get to REALLY know your students by truly LISTENING to them. Learn about their families, friends, passions and challenges. Talk to them before and after class. Listen to students while you are in the hall or on duty, especially those students that seem isolated and alone. Go into the cafeteria on occasion to sit and listen to the students. Attend some of their extracurricular activities. Invite small groups to eat with you once a week in the classroom.
3) Get on your knees. Get to school early or stay late. Shut your classroom door. Get on your knees and pray. Commit each one of your students to God by name. You may be the only person in their lives that will ever do this or be praying for them. Thank and praise God for them, especially those that are the most challenging. Ask God to meet their needs and lead them.
4) Gently lift and turn the students to remove them from self-centeredness. Set realistic, high, diversified standards of behavior and academics so every child can advance and succeed. Make all the students turn from where they are and move forward. Establish natural positive and negative consequences for behavior and apply them firmly and consistently, never with anger. Gentle answers turn away wrath. (Proverbs 15:1)
Seek the hidden fruit in His classroom in these ways and you will find it. Your basket will be overflowing too!

Copyright Don Clark. Email [email protected]