In Praise of Teachers - Saint Matthew Lutheran Church

"You shall put these words of mine in your heart and soul, and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and fix them as an emblem on your forehead. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise.” Deut. 11:18-19

September is a month full of transitions. The days begin to shorten and the temperatures begin to moderate. But perhaps the biggest transition for all is the return to school. For students, this has obvious consequences: an alarm clock that blares much earlier in the morning, the “joy” of school lunches and, of course, homework. The transition is challenging for parents too, who have to adapt to a new schedule and, in some cases, adjust to a newly empty nest. Change can be challenging. But with change comes fresh, exciting opportunities to learn and to grow.

This September is a particularly odd one for me because I am not going back to school. For 26 of my 45 years of mortality – 58% of my life – I have spent September in a school of one sort or another. Kane, Clarion, Morgantown, Boston and Gettysburg were the places where each September I would take up my pencil (or pen or, more recently, laptop computer) and begin the joyful and challenging process of learning. This annual cycle of education has become so ingrained in me that the Staples “Back to School” sales generate genuine excitement in my heart. Highlighters for a dollar! Erasers for 5 cents! Spiral-bound notebooks for a dime! And then there’s that “new book” smell… Yes I know; this is more than a little strange…but the process of learning really excites me and I think God has blessed me with this thirst for knowledge as part of the call to ordained ministry that God issued to me.

When you were growing up, did you have a favorite teacher? I can think of a number of teachers in elementary school, middle school, high school and throughout college and graduate school who had a profound influence on me. They opened worlds of knowledge to me and helped shape who I am. I think of them often and thank God for gracing my life with so many talented and dedicated teachers.

With Rally Day approaching, I’m especially reminded of the many wonderful Sunday School and Vacation Bible School teachers who taught me the fundamentals of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and through whom God blessed me with faith and understanding. I’m sure they all had moments when they wondered if anything they were teaching was sinking in. It did! The truth they taught changed my life and the lives of many others.

And so I want to thank all who teach. Be it at a public institution, a private school, here at St. Matthew or within the walls of your home, I thank God for you and for the great and important work you are doing. It is hard work, work to which you have been called and prepared by God. You are a blessing to every student you encounter and you really do make a difference.

Praise God for teachers!