LIMITED OR UNCHAINED?
January 28, 2022
Prayer: Please help me to forgive those who discourage me Lord. I want to let their words go out of my head and heart. May I never use my words in harsh, life-draining ways. Thank You. Amen
Scripture: But God’s word is not chained. 2 Timothy 2:9 NIV
I recognized him across the room. Several years ago his daughter had been a student in my school. On this particular evening, we were attending a seminar with Christian leaders from all over the area. During a break, I enthusiastically sought him out to say “hello” and inquire about his daughter.
The moment he heard that I was a teacher at the public school his daughter had attended he began his tirade. For fifteen minutes I endured a devastating barrage of insults of public education in general, and my school in particular. It shocked me that he didn’t ask my name, or what I had taught his daughter, and that he had no words encouraging me as a Christian trying to make a difference in public education.
Instead, he told me that after the abysmal failure of my school, his daughter had been in and out of several schools, even homeschool, and now he had started a private school for her. He was tired of the limitations in the public school on Christians, and felt at last that he had found a place of ultimate freedom for teaching truth.
Feeling battered and bruised emotionally from this encounter, I pondered his words before the Lord. I began to realize that Christians have limitations in the private Christian school, too. I touched students with Christ’s love who would never have the opportunity for a Christian education. I could pray for and encourage those Christ died for who attended my school. Scripture teaches that the word of God is not chained. I prayed that day that His word would be so written on my heart that it would flow like living ink from a pen as an expression of Christ’s love. The Holy Spirit is not bound either. He can work in powerful ways we cannot imagine.
If you are teaching in a public school and feeling bound by limitations of the law and the “system,” thank God that He can do incredible work through you anyway. Praise Him that He has placed you in a situation where you can reach out to those who might otherwise never meet a Christian teacher.
Copyright Shirley Wilson. To connect with the author, email [email protected]
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Love this! Thank you for that perspective and renewed motivation to keep looking for ways to make Him known within our public school setting. Obstacles don’t necessarily mean “no”, just try again a different way.
Amen. Thank you.