![]() Substitute Teachers Galatians 6:2 Carry each other’s
burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. Click Logo to LISTEN NOW! Greetings! BlogFam, Now we all have an idea about what happens
when a substitute teacher is present.
This is a time for many children to cut up and give the substitute a
hard time simply because he or she is not their “real” teacher. Children often assume that their misbehavior
will not face the same consequences because their “real” teacher is not
present. Children have ganged up on substitute
teachers for decades for all kinds of reasons.
Perhaps you may not have been the one to push the boundaries when the
substitute was present but I bet you can name at least one fellow classmate who
did. Substitute teachers are just not given the
same level of credibility and respect on demand as the teacher who has been
assigned to that particular classroom for the year. And while they do deserve
to be respected –and compensated – for their willingness to fill in, some
children who have had to endure their presence are just not so welcoming. Substitute teachers fill a very significant role in the
maintaining of the educational progress of the students in a particular class
in the absence of their assigned teacher.
Substitute teachers are necessary in order to help in not losing
momentum in a particular subject/topic.
They are necessary in order to give relief to the main teacher who may
have personal or professional obligations or situations that demand their
presence. Substitute teachers are also
able to provide flexibility to the school staff that allows schedules to be
adjusted with minimal disruption to the structure with which children and
parents are familiar. Thus, substitute
teachers play a very critical role in the educational system. I have met a number of substitute teachers during my years
in grade school. However, there is one that
I will never forget because she was a member of our church and she was my brother’s
godmother. Her name was Ms. Davis. Ms. Davis was a very special woman to our
family in and outside of the church and school.
She actually used to babysit us on any number of occasions when my
parents needed that support. So when I
saw that she was the substitute in the absence of any one of my teachers, I
knew there was no playing around for Delesslyn because I was clear that if Ms. Davis
did not get me herself, she was going to make it her business to ensure that my
parents were not ignorant of my conduct.
Ms. Davis made a huge impact on the lives of my siblings and I because
if there is anyone in our church and community – apart from our parents - whom
we know cared about us and our well-being, it was Ms. Davis. She loved us as her own children and we are
forever grateful for what she has meant to our lives. Ms. Davis is no longer with us but I cannot
tell you how her substitute presence in the absence of my teachers or parents
was a significant part of my development into the young lady I am today. She was a substitute who loved, cared,
disciplined, supported, encouraged, and did her very best to reinforce our
parents expectation of seeing us act our very best at all times. I am clear that not all substitute teachers care this much,
but Ms. Davis did. And there is one more substitute teacher that I want to
mention who cared even more than Ms. Davis.
His name is Jesus. Jesus loved us
all so much that He voluntarily submitted to the will of the Almighty God to
substitute His own life so that we can have a right to the tree of life. He taught tremendous life lessons that we
continue to learn from and pass on today and he embodied these same lessons in
the way he carried out his life even unto his death at Calvary. Jesus loved us so much that He chose to carry
our burdens in order to fulfill his love. My friends, as followers of Jesus, we, too must embrace
our roles as Substitute teachers. NO, we do not have to go to Calvary but we
are called to carry each other’s burdens, and in this way we will fulfill the
law of Christ which is to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. Much like the substitute teachers in grade
school, we are to fill a very significant role in the maintaining of the spiritual
progress of our sisters and brothers in Christ.
We are to encourage one another so that we will not lose momentum on
this journey of faith that is not without obstacles, detours, roadblocks, and
U-Turns. We are to give relief to our
sisters and brothers through prayer and rejoicing when they rejoice, weeping
when they weep. And we are to help each
other be flexible so that we can flow with the unforeseen moves of the Holy
Spirit in our lives. We are to provide a
supportive community of stability as an expression of our love one for
another. As we fulfill our roles as
substitute teachers, standing in the gap for one another, holding each other
accountable, and carrying each other’s burdens, we do fulfill the law of
Christ. Today, I pray that you would consider the burdens of
someone else and ask God for a way to help them alleviate their load. Today, I pray that you would ask God for
creative strategies and resources so that the needs of others can be met
through you. Today, I pray that when you
do stand in for someone else, you would not minimize the critical role you are
serving in the development of their faith.
Today, I pray that you would be motivated to carry the burdens of
someone else in the same way you WILL need someone to help carry yours one
day. Today, I pray that we would never
forget that our Lead substitute teacher continues to carry all of our burdens beyond
the finished work on the cross unto the throne of God as our advocate in
heaven. And today, I pray that we would
fulfill the law of Christ by carrying the burdens of one another as a humble
sacrifice and in gratitude for all that Christ has done and will do for each of
us. Delesslyn Twitter - @AudraSunshine or @SpiritedConcept Email - delesslyn@spiritedconcepts.net ***MY FIRST BOOK*** Step Out of the Boat: An Invitation to Walk on Water Click on Picture of Cover to Purchase TODAY!!! THANK YOU for your support!!! PLEASE SUBSCRIBE on the left to get email updates,SHARE it with three people, COMMENT below, and click here to GIVE a donation of $5.00 or your best gift to keep it going! I WRITE by Faith and NOT by Sight... |