Eyes of the Heart

Ten years ago at a gathering of Christian public educators, Rhonda, a career middle school educator, participated in a spiritual exercise that forever changed her and the way she taught. She remembers it as if it was yesterday.  In this exercise the educators were asked to select the one student they currently served whom they believed was the furthest from God. They were instructed to recall what words they spoke to the child as well as their attitude and behavior used in dealing with him/her. The educators were asked to imagine Jesus teaching their classes. They were to prayerfully write down what they believed Jesus would say to this student and how He would treat him/her and then compare His words and actions to their own.

Rhonda and the other teachers settled back in their chairs and the room got perfectly quiet as they began the exercise. Rhonda immediately thought of a particular student who was continually angry and defiant. He lived in financial, moral, social and emotional poverty in an abusive home.  He refused to submit to authority unless forced by adverse consequences. No amount of positive reinforcement seemed to faze Him. He was constantly trying to verbally put down other students and physically intimidate and bully them. His mouth was foul. Rhonda had become very discouraged with this child.  Every effort she made to reach him seemed to be in vain. She’d given up hope for the child after the first semester. Convicted by the exercise, Rhonda first thought, “I’m glad God patiently waited more than one semester for me to acknowledge Him, listen to Him and submit to His authority!”

Rhonda closed her eyes as she prayed. She saw this student at the age of fifty-five years. He was in a church sanctuary at the altar. He was praying for people who were lined up to see him and he was delivering them from the generational curses of condemnation and judgement that had bound and tormented him for so many years. This vision of him is still vivid in Rhonda’s heart and mind a decade later.

From that day on, Rhonda did not see the student as he was. She saw him as what she believed he was going to be when set free one day – an awesome mighty man of God and a warrior for the Lord. Her whole attitude and set of behaviors changed toward this child. Her growing anger, quick temper and judgement and condemnation of the student and other students like him were all lifted. God gave her patience and a calm voice. She became much gentler, hopeful and joyful with him though she remained firm and shielded other students from his abuse.

God opened the eyes of Rhonda’s heart when her spiritual eyes were shut so she could return good for evil and pass on God’s peace and presence to this young man and others like him whom she would serve throughout the rest of her career. Thank you, Jesus, for correcting Rhonda’s vision with yours! What a difference it makes!

PRAYER: Open the eyes of our hearts, Lord. Help us see every parent, student and staff member through your eyes and not our own.

EXERCISE: Select the one student you serve whom you believe to be the furthest from God. How do you believe Jesus would speak to and treat this student? How does it compare with your words and actions?