Classroom 101                            

“We make it our aim to please him.”

2 Corinthians 5:9 (NIV)

     During the past two weeks my husband and I had the privilege of helping our daughter Kate set up her classroom. On the surface that sounds like an easy task that might take a half day. Not the case. She is at a start-up school with modular classrooms, so when we walked into the room, it was a shell-- totally empty—there wasn’t a piece of furniture in it, no blinds on the windows and the walls were bare. The assignment was to make the shell into a first grade classroom.

     Typical of a teacher, Kate had a plan, a color pallet and a theme. Her creativity flowed.

     Over the course of several days and nights, the room went through a change. Using primary colors, posters, charts, décor, bean bag chairs, a lamp, a lighted tree, books, a bushel of flowers and an area rug filled the room! Chairs and cabinets were delivered. Details were attended to. My husband spray painted a bookcase. Blinds were installed. A rocking chair added an extra touch. As we walked down the hall, we could see that the individual personalities of the teachers emerged. Some chose neon colors; one had a banana tree theme, another, a detective theme. Kate’s was a learning garden.

     And so, at the “meet and greet” last Wednesday, children and parents walked in and saw a beautiful classroom. They probably thought that it happened overnight with a magic wand!  Little did they know that we worked without air conditioning in soaking wet clothes to make an empty shell a welcoming classroom.

     Kate left the house at 6:15 for the first day of school. Her day went beautifully as she and the children got acquainted with each other. Throughout the year, she will teach, encourage, be a cheerleader and help each student grow and reach his potential. What stands out to me is that she exudes joy and love. The classroom—her learning garden of working and growing together--is alive! What a contrast to the lifeless empty shell!

    As individuals, we present ourselves as an empty shell each day too, ready for the Lord to give us life as we seek His presence and we heed His instruction.

    It begins with the word “commit”. “Commit to the Lord whatever you do and your plans will succeed.” (Proverbs 16:3)  I’ve been pondering the word “commit”. Sometimes we think of “commit” as making a decision and asking the Lord to bless our ideas. We give our plan to Him to be there for us and work things out.  But as I think aboutcommit, I see it as not beginning after a decision but it begins like King David did, with an “inquiry”.  Repeatedly, in the Old Testament we read, “David inquired of the Lord.” My commitment begins when I ask:  “What exactly does the Lord have in mind for me today? What are His agenda and priorities? What does He value that He wants me to value?  How does He want me to spend my time?” If we look at what the apostle Paul said, “We make it our goal to please Him,” we see that Paul was a God-pleaser, not a people pleaser.  We please God when we ask before we do.

     I can inquire, but unless I listen, I will miss His best. That is the second aspect of commit. I have been trying to be quiet enough to listen to the Spirit’s whisper but I want His voice to be loud enough—above everything else around me--that it is unmistakable. I want to commit to listen. And, if the voice doesn’t come, I want to commit to wait until I hear it. Waiting is not doing nothing, but it is an important something. Finally I want to commit to obey what I hear.

    Our empty shell will take the right form and be life -filled with the theme, plans, accessories and the color that the Lord desires for us if we practice committing.  He wants to be our teacher and encourager and show us how to reach our potential as He sends His instruction, love and joy. We can be life-giving instruments as we model His character and share our God-given gifts in the creative ways the Lord desires. Then, like the classroom teacher, we can nourish others.

“Homework” for Reflection:  In Ezekiel 20:15 (NLT) we read, “I wanted to take you to a beautiful place, but you chose idols instead.”  Yes, the Lord wants to take us to a beautiful place of intimacy with Him. What is keeping you from seeking intimacy? What are you choosing instead?

For “extra credit” this month: Read Psalm 46:10 and Romans 12: 1-2 and apply those verses to our shell and a life-filled classroom.

Invisible