Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. Colossians 3:2

What if God placed our most difficult students in our classrooms because He knew they were the ones we could reach and God could use for His Kingdom?

Jesus certainly had His hands full with the disciples while they walked with Him during His three years of ministry. For example, the disciples fought over who was the greatest among them. James and John wanted Jesus to call down fire over a town that rejected Him. Peter tried to rebuke Jesus for predicting His death. Twice Jesus had to prove to His disciples that He could provide food for thousands of people who came out to meet Him. They argued, fell asleep at the wrong times, and seemed surprised at every miracle Jesus performed. 

However, they were just beginning to learn about Jesus; they didn’t have the Holy Spirit yet; they were immature, and they lacked faith and discipline. 

Jesus certainly could have been frustrated, disappointed, and given up on the disciples. But he saw something they didn’t—He saw their potential; He saw a future where they would travel the earth witnessing to His resurrection, and preaching the gospel. 

For three years, though, He put up with them. He patiently taught them, modeled for them, and rebuked them when necessary. 

As a Christian educator, my job isn’t to see students only as they are now, but as they could be. I can see their stubbornness as grit and resilience. I can see their talkativeness as a potential gift of teaching or evangelism. I can see their propensity for getting into trouble for something I never would have thought to be in my classroom rules as creativity and ingenuity. 

Teachers, we can pray every day that we would see and hear our students, not just from an earthly perspective, but from a heavenly one. We can ask ourselves, How does God see the heart of my student? What gifts and talents did God place in there to be used for His Kingdom? How do I recognize and affirm them in those gifts? 

Lord, give me eyes to see my students, even the most difficult ones, through Your eyes. Help me to see their giftedness, their unique personalities, and design as God-given. Help me to see them through eternal perspectives, as children created to know and love You. In Jesus name, Amen. 

Copyright April Graney.

April is a middle school English teacher in Oklahoma. She is also the author of the children’s book, If Jesus Came to My School, which inspires children to shine the love and light of Jesus to their classmates at school. To learn more, visit aprilgraney.com.