I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Gal. 2:20, NIV

As educators, we are working with a group of young people who are being raised in one of the most technologically advanced and materially wealthy, yet spiritually impoverished generations the world has ever known. This generation is being taught that success is measured in the acquisition of more money, material things, knowledge, technology, and likes and friends on social media. It is not being measured by the acquisition of more unconditional love, wisdom, peace, courage, hope, faith, or trust. Students spend 30 to 40 hours a week at school learning how to materially succeed as adults in this culture, yet only spend an average of ninety minutes or less per week learning about or developing their relationships with God. Many parents get their children to baseball, soccer, and dance practice three times a week for two-hour practices. They make sure their children do their homework each night. They make sure their children eat three physical meals a day, but many don’t even feed them one spiritual meal each day.

I believe that Jesus is saying to us, “All they can see of Me is what they see in you. All they can hear from Me is what they hear from you. All they can feel from Me is the unconditional love you give them. I ask you, how much of Me are they seeing, hearing, and feeling from you? Through you, Jesus wants to share His love with these young people. In this small corner of the world, in this classroom, you are My hands, My feet, My eyes, and My heart.”

Jesus, in my classroom, I am Your hands, feet, eyes, and heart. Help me to die to myself so that more of You might live in me. Amen.

Copyright Don Clark.

Don is a member and a retired elementary special education teacher. He recently retired from his role as the Houston area director for Christian Educators.