Purpose Driven Classroom

The purpose of this blog is to encourage Christian Educators to recognize their high calling as a teacher. We will be studying the Book of Esther for the next few months. Join us for this ten part study and don't forget to comment on how you think this applies to the classroom. May God help you to see your purpose for Him as a missionary in our schools in America.

The Book of Ruth - Part 4 of 10

The Book of Ruth
The God of the Ordinary 1.4
Chapter 2:1-4

This is the fourth week of a ten-week look into the Book of Ruth. It began as a combination of many great teachers, but the most influential person upon this study comes from the series, God of the Ordinary by Alistair Begg, pastor of Parkside Church in Cleveland, Ohio and founder of Truth for Life. This beautiful story of companionship, faithfulness and loyalty is so helpful to us as teachers.

In Chapter 2, we find Ruth ready and willing to glean in the fields of Boaz, a wealthy relative of Naomi. One of the practices in Israel that was established in the Law was for the wealthy harvesters to leave a portion of the harvest for the poor to gather from the edges of their fields.  Ruth left the house to seek favor of one of these wealthy harvesters.  She said to Naomi, “Let me go to the field and glean among the ears of grain after him in whose sight I shall find favor.”  There are two things that really stand out about Ruth:  she is industrious and she has the wisdom to seek the favor of those who can help her.


I want to encourage you at the end of the year to remain industrious.  It is very difficult to keep the kids on engaged when everything seems to scream, “We’re done.”  Help them to finish strong.  Remain engaged in your curriculum right until the end.  It lessens discipline problems and raises the opportunities for your students to remember what you have done for them during this year.  It’s pretty humbling to recognize that they don’t remember everything we have taught them, but they DO remember how we treated them.  Show them favor and grace whenever possible.

Also, at this time of the year, our administrators take a lot of heat.  Between planning for positions for next year and trying to close this year out, the students, parents and teachers all have something to burden them with.  Will you say a special prayer for them at this time for their wisdom and grace under difficult times?  Pray also for favor in their eyes.  Just like Ruth said, “ ….in whose sight I shall find favor.” Being in someone’s favor comes from doing the right thing.  Ask God to help you find ways to find favor in His sight and in the eyes of your administrator.  Be an example of faithfulness even if you don’t particularly agree with your administrator.  Respect their authority over you and ask God to help them.  1 Peter 2:13 - Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every authority instituted among men; whether to the king, as the supreme authority or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. You will have a peace that surpasses all understanding when you lean on the Lord and seek His grace and favor - just like Ruth.

This is the audio file of Chapter 2 if you care to listen.

As always, I am
Prayerfully yours,


Karen

by: seddonk at 19:31 | link | comments

The Book of Ruth - Part 3 of 10

The Book of Ruth
The God of the Ordinary 1.3
Chapter 1:19-22

My dear teachers,

This is the third week of a ten-week look into the Book of Ruth. It began as a combination of many great teachers, but the most influential person upon this study comes from the series, God of the Ordinary by Alistair Begg, pastor of Parkside Church in Cleveland, Ohio and founder of Truth for Life. This beautiful story of companionship, faithfulness and loyalty is so helpful to us as teachers.

Chapter 1, verses 19-22, is the arrival of Naomi as she returns to Bethlehem from Moab with her daughter-in-law Ruth.  You have to admire her honesty. Notice how she answers those who ask the question, “Is this Naomi?” She said to them, “Do not call me Naomi, call me, Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me.  I went away full, and the Lord has brought me back empty.” Naomi has just come through the loss of her husband, both her sons and did not try to pretend that everything was ok.  Some circumstances just seem unjust and some questions in life are just not answered.  Notice that Naomi doesn’t attribute the things that have happened in life to chance. She knows that all things are controlled by His Sovereign Power.  He is the God Who is at His best when we are at our worst.

Perhaps you are experiencing a difficult school year. Perhaps one of your teammates has had a most difficult group of students. This is the time to seek God’s help.  It’s easy to praise Him when your students are behaving and your days are a joy, but what do you do in those difficult days? When God is at work, even hopelessness may be the doorway to fresh starts and to new opportunities.  Learning from a difficult year and leaning on Him for His providential care will make the difference between despair and hope. Although He has a whole universe to care for, He turns His gaze on a single teacher just like you.  Just as He returned Naomi to her home, He will give you direction and hope.

I really like the way this Chapter ends because it gives us a sense that something good is about to happen.  May you experience that sense of something good is about to happen in your classroom.


As always, I am
Prayerfully yours,

Karen

This is an audio file of The Book of Ruth - Chapter 1, if you care to listen.

by: seddonk at 20:46 | link | comments

The Book of Ruth - Part 2 of 10

The Book of Ruth
The God of the Ordinary1.2
Chapter 1:7-18

My dear teachers,

This is the second week of a ten-week look into the Book of Ruth. It began as a combination of many great teachers, but the most influential person upon this study comes from the series, God of the Ordinary by Alistair Begg, pastor of Parkside Church in Cleveland, Ohio and founder of Truth for Life. This beautiful story of companionship, faithfulness and loyalty is so helpful to us as teachers.

In Chapter 1, verses 7-18, we find Naomi without her husband, without her sons and without reason to stay in Moab, but gratefully attached to her two daughters-in-law.  Being a realist, Naomi tries to convince Orpah and Ruth to return to their own families since there is no apparent hope left for any offspring in her family.  Orpah agrees and returns, but Ruth clings to Naomi.  Don’t you just love that word picture? Even better than clinging to Naomi in loyalty, Ruth pronounced her oath of faith in some of the most powerful words ever said.  Alistair Begg believes that this statement is most poetically written in the King James version.  Ruth said, “Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge; thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God.  Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the Lord do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.” Wow, to be that loyal and back it up! Max Lucado equals this commitment to the Beatle song, “Will You Still Love Me When I’m 64?” It is a rare companion in life that will love you unconditionally.


As teachers, we face loyalty issues all the time.  Should we stay at our school next year or move to the new school? Can I support my teammate through a difficult time? Can I love my students unconditionally? Can I support my principal regardless of my personal opinions? As Christian educators, we have the high calling to work first, for the Lord, and secondarily for our school boards.  We answer to the One Who has promised that He would never leave us nor forsake us. Hebs. 13:5 - “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” We need to make the same commitment to God that Ruth was making to Naomi.  Can we leave our home, our families, our culture and our “gods” to remain faithful to our King? It’s not as simple as it looks, but it is my prayer for you.  Christian educators who have unequivocally committed to serving the Lord first and serving their students and school community next will be the most loyal of all. 


What are some of the times you have been torn with a loyalty issue?  How did you handle it?  What did God show you He was doing?  It’s always easier to see after the fact.  Although Ruth could have had no idea how huge the implications were, her loyalty decision has actually affected us all.  But that is for another week! 



As always, I am
Prayerfully yours,

Karen
This is the audio file of Ruth Chapter 1, if you care to listen.
   

by: seddonk at 19:32 | link | comments

The Book of Ruth - Part 1 of 10

The Book of Ruth
The God of the Ordinary 1.1
Chapter 1:1-6

My dear teachers,

Do you know God’s will for your life? If you think God only uses extraordinary people by spectacular means than a study into this ancient story, this historical record will have application to us as educators. 2nd Tim. 3:16 -  All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness. This study is a combination of many great teachers, but the one most responsible for the insight into the book of Ruth is from the study, God of the Ordinary by Alistair Begg, pastor of Parkside Church in Cleveland, Ohio and founder of Truth for Life. Let us begin with prayer.

Dear Father,
    Teach us O Lord, how we, your servants can be encouraged by Your Hand of provision in our ordinary lives. Show us how to listen. Teach us how to seek You in all that we do. Help us to pray over our schools and classrooms each day as we touch the lives of the next generation. Lord, open our eyes, our ears and especially our hearts to the lesson of this wonderful book that You have prepared for us.  Amen.

Please allow me to tell you first, that the intention of this study is interactive. I am a teacher, not a preacher and I know only that the book of Ruth is a powerful lesson of commitment, integrity and hope and that we need all of these lessons in our schools today.  Please consider adding your comments and insights as you take this ten week study with me into the Word of God.


The Book of Ruth is nestled between two very dramatic and dark stories of the Bible: Judges and 1st Samuel.  (Be sure and read it if you haven’t already.  I have also attached an audio file of Chapter 1 if you prefer to listen to it.) The Book of Judges, dated somewhere between 1200 BC to 1020 BC, continues forward to 1st Samuel, the coronation of King Saul with the Book of Ruth placed in the middle.  No matter how dark the times may appear, God is still working His purposes out in places regarded as unlikely and in a quiet fashion through the lives of ordinary people like you and me. A lot happens in just the first six verses of the first chapter of Ruth. There was a famine in the land of Judah. Elimelech sought to search for food for his family and took his wife and two sons to Moab in that search. Elimelech dies in Moab leaving Noami, his wife, a widow and his two sons and then she even loses her sons leaving her a widow with two daughters-in-laws. She faces her declining years with the prospect of no husband, nor children or hope of continuing the family name. She was an alien in a strange land. However, word came that there was food again in her land and she set out on the way to return to land of Judah.

Have you ever thought about your provisions? Look around and take an inventory of all that you have and may even take for granted: your home, your pantry, your car, your school. Ultimately is it God who supplies our needs. No one ought to be in greater awe of our provisions than the Christian who understands from Whom all things come.  Let us begin this study with two main reflections. First, practice gratitude for our provisions. As Americans in this generation, we are clueless to the destitute of famine and want. May God help us to be grateful for all His blessings.  And second for His intervention and interest in our lives. It is often in the ordinary events of life that God works out his purposes through us. Let’s sharpen our awareness of Him in the everyday circumstances of our family, students and lives we touch.

As always, I am
Prayerfully yours,

Karen
This is the audio of file of Chapter 1 if you care to  listen.



Romans 15:13 - May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

by: seddonk at 07:50 | link | comments (1)