“Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth, for there is one God, and there is none other than He. And to love Him with all the heart, with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbour as oneself, is more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.”In October I wrote about beginning my teaching Field Experience. At that time I realised that aside from the material benefits I may eventually gain, the situation had a purpose. That purpose was to spend the time loving God and others.
Mark 12:32 - 33.
“Love will cover a multitude of sins”
1 Peter 4:8
I ended up having an excellent time in many ways. Why? The school was a loving community. Even though I was different to most of the staff theologically, their enthusiasm for God, prayerfulness, and love for the students and other staff was a great blessing. They even gave me a special farewell afternoon tea!
Even more importantly, I had a wonderful supervising teacher. She was encouraging and helpful. I was also a blessing to her. She wished that she’d started out in life with the decision to walk in God’s ways, and enjoyed hearing about my life choices. By the end of the Field Experience, we felt a real oneness in spirit.
My supervising teacher was an unexpected kindred spirit. She is a working Mum of a three-year-old, a divorcee in her second marriage, and a Pentecostal. I am a newlywed Presbyterian who thinks day care is an abdication of the responsibility to train one’s children. Yet in Christ, we can love and learn from one another.
I share this story in the hope that I can encourage you, too, to focus on loving God and others in every situation. If love can cover over a multitude of sins, surely it can cover differences as well? Who knows, you may even find an unexpected kindred spirit along the way!
Another great post!
ReplyDeleteDifferences are an opportunity to love -- they should never be an obstacle.
Thanks for the encouragement - I'll have to keep in mind that great thought :) . . . opportunity not obstacle
ReplyDeleteI have always believed that it is our differences in the body of Believers that can help us grow and learn from each other. Sometimes it is called "conviction areas" other times "preferences". As long as we are one in the core Biblical beliefs we can embrace each other's differences! You sound as though you really enjoyed your teacher training. Are you currently teaching?
ReplyDeleteHello Faith,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your thoughts - I agree. However, I'd tend to think of differences as "conviction areas" rather than "preferences" as I hope that Christians do try to base their decisions upon God's word rather than their personal feelings.
No, I'm not teaching at the moment. I t is summer holidays here, and I also haven't applied for any work as I'll be finishing up study next year and we also don't know where we'll be living! I'm enjoying being a homemaker at the moment.
HI Sherrin: I totally forgot that you guys over there are in summer mode! (I can't wait for summer!! I am now officially tired of the snow and frigid temps!). Oh, by "preferences" I meant things like contemporary music vs. hymns, communion every week vs. once a month, things like that. At our church we have Core Essentials/Biblical Truths, then Convictions, then Preferences. We all must agree on the Core Biblical Truths....our leadership gives us freedom in the convictions and preferences area meaning they don't say all the body of Believers need to homeschool or abstain from wine, or just listen to hymns, etc. Sorry for the confusion. I love your latest posts too and maybe when I have more time I can read them more in detail. Right now my oldest is home from her midterm so we want to eat lunch together! God bless you!~
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