The Modern, Christian Teacher

The modern teacher, particularly the modern, Christian teacher, is presented with a number of frustrations which, in a light mood, he would like to call "opportunities." I refer neither to "teachable moments" nor to mishaps when I speak of these opportunities. Rather, I call up the moments when the teacher has a solid glimpse of the student as a person.

To the materialist teacher, this is a frustration because, he believes, people are merely what they do, and the people he teachers do more, or at least other, than learn. The frustration of uncertainty in his role then presents itself, though perhaps it is to him like Harvey is to Jimmy Stewart, visible to no other.

I can see this materialist teacher in my classroom, wearing my face, assuming that sarcasm is an acceptable response to a student's ignorance. The student responds not by learning but by emoting. Is he a student or a person? The answer, of course, is "yes."

Struggling constantly with my materialistic and natural self, I, the modern, Christian teacher, am presented with far deeper frustrations at the recognition of humanity in my pupils. I must first see the inherent wonder of the image of God. Like a coin at the mint, these students bear the picture of their King, and I, like the worker at said mint, hope and strive to sharpen that image. What a fearful trade!

As I wonder at the teacher's role in this process, I think particularly of one history student whose ability to reason has increased magnificently, and I bow to Giver of all good things for His work in that young man's mind. If only the existence of valuable gifts led to an eternal glory...

The modern, Christian teacher see many frustrations in the personhood of students because they are fallen. Sloth, impatience, self-righteousness, and incontinent faith appear in my classroom daily, and not always at the small desks. The depravity of students coupled with a still regenerating teacher causes great heartache.

I recall the first day I taught. Mockery in the name of "cool" occurred just meters from where I stood, and I felt a deep resentment that I could do little more than cause a temporary halt. The human students picked back up at lunch.

The trough of depravity, so tenebrous and wicked, is also a wonderful challenge to the modern, Christian teacher, for he knows of the redemptive power of Jesus Christ. Fighting as Bunyan's Christian with Apollyon, we push ever into the darkest hearts, never missing an opportunity to show a biblical response to our subject matter. Our goal is that of Christ in 1 John 3--the forgiveness of sins and the destruction of the devil's work. I have seen the dead come to life this year.

The modern, Christian teacher's story is little different from any other with frustrations. It is only in the ordeal that the victor is proven. It is only in the tumult that opportunity lies. It is only with the will of the Father, by the grace of His Son, through the working of His Spirit that these opportunities are realized.

The Victory Arch of Carteer

At the entrance to town,
by the northeastern gate,
Rising up from the ground
on its marblized weight
Stood the symbol of our city's cheer:
The grand Victory Arch of Carteer.

Our polis was at war
With an enemy dire,
But if we needed more
Reason to be inspired
We'd look up and drop down a proud tear
For the Victory Arch of Carteer.

By the seventeenth week
Of our enemies siege
Our defense passed its peak,
And we had a new liege
Who wanted to stimulate fear
By the Victory Arch of Carteer.

We were treated as slaves,
And our spirits were flayed,
But we all acted brave
Until we were betrayed.
A citizen spoke of what we held most dear:
The prized Victory Arch of Carteer.

The tyrant took his ropes
And tied them round the Arch,
Then he crushed all our hopes
As he commanded "March!"
And a tumble of rock stabbed my heart like a spear.
'Twas the Victory Arch of Carteer.

Gone was that piece of art
Of commemoration
Which had kept every heart
At its strongest station,
But I looked at the place as dust started to clear
'Round the Victory Arch of Carteer.

And the shape of the stones
As they lay on the earth
Made me let out a groan
In the pangs of rebirth.
For an empty old cross was the sign that appeared
From the Victory Arch of Carteer.

And I raised up a shout
That was caught up by all
As each one thought about
Being saved from the Fall,
And we drove out the enemy to the frontier
Past the Victory Arch of Carteer.

As we came back to town
From our fighting afar,
There was feeling around
That our homeland was marred.
So we set up a monument we could revere:
'Twas the Victory Arch of Carteer.

The Day, The Day

The day, the day is pressed upon my soul
And consciousness with light. Dare I arise
To yet another juncture of vain tries?
Onto temporal earth alights my sole.

The day, the day does seem monotonous
As I progress so little. Yet I tread
The earth where God as man once sped
And gave the value robb'd by moth and rust.

The day, the day sparkles with radiant
Moment. I pass immortals as I moan
Of dreariness; I hear an epic tone
In mumbled words riding prayer's gradient.

The day, the day does press upon my soul
And consciousness the Light. Divine nature,
Eternal power are presented sure
By day, by night. Now worship is my role.

The Day, the Day when I, at last, shall rise
To God will hold nostalgia only in one way:
I will, with fondness, think about each day
Of vanity, which, for love's sake, He prized.

Save For One

For Your glory, You made man; Your image you gave.
For Your glory, You let him to become depraved.
For Your glory, You saw every child born a slave
Save for One, Lord, of course, save for One.

For Your glory, You blessed all of Abraham's seed.
For Your glory, You saw Jacob steal Esau's deed.
For Your glory, You cursed men who hung on a tree
For eternity, Lord, save for One.

For Your glory, You execute man, woman, child.
For Your glory, You crush the head of that reptile.
For Your glory, each debt on Your ledger was piled
Save for One's, Lord, of course, save for One's.

For Your glory, Your kingdom continues to build,
For Your glory, through suffering and pleasures you willed.
For Your glory, let the mouth of Creation be filled
With this song: "Save for You; save for One!"

For Your glory, save sinners for Your sake alone.
For Your glory, continue to ever atone.
For Your glory, we'll worship Your crucified Son
For He chose to save, and save for One.

With Thanks to John Piper

Duty has been my compass since
I learned the Statutes Ten.
Without a thought for what love meant,
I serve first God then men.

I set about my martyrdom
To all my true longings:
I passed on seeking His kingdom
For the pleasure it brings.

Morality became my goal,
Though I enjoyed it not.
I prayed, "Please, God, restore my soul
To joy," while joy did rot.

But looking at Christ crucified
Through a fellow Christian's eyes,
I see my intuition lied
Defining God's assize.

God wants a happy heart from me:
"Delight," is His command,
"In Me. Not for morality
But joy, love God and man."

Scenario

In the middle row of the middle aisle
With my ticket for a rag,
I buttered up my greedy digits
Diving into the popcorn bag.
And, for a moment, I believed in good.

In the driver's seat, in the passing lane,
With my vector pointing east,
I played at Thomas Edison
To drown my ears in peace.
And, for a moment, I believed in good.

In the same old chair, at the same old table,
With my pencil scratching prayers,
I confessed I longed for evil things
Till I saw the blood He wears.
And, I hope, not only for a moment, I believed in good.

A Complexity Complex

I've been teaching from Galatians in my Bible class. The theme is life by faith through the Spirit as opposed to through following the law. I've really been enjoying it, and my students have been understanding it. That's something, anyway.
One of the verses that sticks out to me as I review is Galatians 5:14: "For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'"
The whole Law. Not just one chapter of Deuteronomy, not just a couple commandments, but all of it. Summed up in loving others. I thought of a section toward the end of The Friendly Persuasion as I read and re-read this: Jess, the main character, keeps trying to do what is good and get this little boy to do what is good for goodness' sake, and he realizes there's a problem with that, concluding that all he really is supposed to do is love his fellow man. The idea expressed is that love isn't just for ethereal goodness' sake, but for the sake of relational others and a relational God's. I makes sense, but trying to apply it is difficult.
Why would God make humans so complex, put us in such complex societies with complex lifestyles that include things like money and culture and education, if all we're supposed to do is love?

A love that fills every action in this life must be as labyrinthine and multi-faceted as God, for He is love.