Insight for Prayer

I thought about this column as I was reflecting on the students that I pray for. Most of the time, the students who garner a teachers attention are the troublemakers- those who are the most dysfunctional; those who we have to correct repeatedly; those who interrupt the learning that occurs in our classes.

However, there is one thing that I have learned. That is that we are all, as people, in the same boat. We tend to see sin from our own human, earthly point of view. The sin that is most outrageous to our principals or ethics is the sin that we deem "the worst" type of sin. I believe God sees things differently, as He has a different perspective than our limited, earthly one. We *all * have issues. We all have challenges that we face in life. We all struggle with our own difficulties within ourselves, our relationships, our avoidance and adherence to personal pain and pleasure, and the consequences of our choices.

You see, the silent ones, the students who never interrupt class, the ones who always do their work and quietly go about their business- they also have needs, hopes, fears, challenges, desires and dreams. It was with understanding that I realized that they need prayer just as much as the students who are troubled.

And so, each morning, when I pray sometimes as I travel to work, whenever I pray for this particular group of students that I have taught over the years, I remember the other ones. Its hard sometimes for me to recall names, but I pray for them as a group, asking God to bless them and keep them; to guide them and protect them, to help them make good decisions and to seek His love.

For I am quite flawed, but He is not. I have, continue to, and will make mistakes in the future, but He will never disappoint. He is the One who made us and loves us. And He is the One who gave His life on our behalf, that we may know Him. I am so thankful for that.

G.Houtchens
armchair coach
amateur historian