A Moment to

Reflect

(33)

While sitting in the pew at church, I was confronted with a things that make you go hmmm moment. One of our pastors (Thanks Pastor yke! remarked that if an oli"e were asked if it would like to #e crushed, it would pro#a#ly decline the offer. $ranted, I should ha"e continued listening, #ut I #egan to think, Well, what are its other options% I mean, really, what&s #ehind door num#er ' or two for an oli"e%

um thats interesting

Black to the right, green to the left

When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie

Oh well, the other options don&t look so hot either. When you think a#out it, teachers are a lot like oli"es. (ometimes the options we ha"e are all )acked up too. *ut often how we see our situation is totally different from how $od see&s it.

(o while we may #e like oli"es, we do ha"e a choice in how we allow $od to use us. (o, let&s look at our options again.

Option '+ Teaching from a )ar Pros+ The possi#ilities seem endless. There are so many ways you can impact the life of the children in your classroom. ,ons+ -ou will ne"er really know the depth and distance of your influence as a teacher #ecause you are "iewing your purpose through a la#el made #y man. -es teachers do more than )ust teach. We are parent figures, nurses, guidance counselors, mentors, and the only adult some kids will respect. That&s )ust what teachers do. *ut the gift and anointing of #eing a teacher goes much deeper. Your God has created you to be more

Option .+ (ingle /ssignment Pros+ -ou feel good a#out impacting the life of one. (In this glass, you pro#a#ly feel really good.! 0specially since you know they appreciate you. 11 These oli"es only come out when someone asks for them. ,ons+ 2ere we put $od in a )ar and try to condense 2is a#ility to do e3ceeding a#undantly in our li"es #y saying to oursel"es, If I )ust reach one4, it&ll #e ok. Our $od is #ig. I mean 2e&s really #ig. /lways understand that what we say and do, as well as how we li"e for ,hrist will always #e noticed #y those around us. While you&re focusing on one, many are focusing on you. -ou can and will always reach more than one. Your God has more than this for you

Option 5+ The Works Pros+ Working with others allows you to really reach more children. We #elie"e the /frican pro"er# of It takes a "illage to raise a child to #e true and utili6e this e"eryday as we reach out to colleagues, parents and resource staff. 2ere you understand that you can&t do this #y yourself. -ou look to those around you and you look to $od to help you. ,ons+ It&s easy to pick off what you don&t want to digest and still #elie"e it&s good. While it may #e easy for you to accept the help from coworkers, you pick off the suggestions of the 2oly (pirit to minister to the hearts of your students. -ou can easily pray for your classroom, #ut pick off the patience and compassion that the kids around you need. Your God re!uires more than this from you Option 7+ ,rushed for 2is Purpose The crushed oli"e is truly li"ing out the totality of its creation. The #yproduct of this crushed oli"e is oil. /lthough the whole oli"e in or out of the )ar can #e ser"ed in

"arious forms, it can only #e used for food. The oli"e which gets crushed can #e used for lighting lamps, religious ser"ices, medicinally, food preparations, and as a #eauty product. To #e crushed for 2is purpose means that you choose to surrender to 2is original plan for you which is to lo"e 2im, #e fruitful and multiply and ha"e dominion o"er this 0arth. In the crushing process you #ecome conscious that within in you is the strength and power of 8esus ,hrist. The deepest part of you, the true eternal 9:/ that flows through your #lood #elongs to 2im. -ou know that what 2e has placed in you must #e shared with others and you multiply 2is lo"e. -et it will #e within the walls of the most trying classroom, the most challenging student or the most difficult administration that you acknowledge that your strength and all of your help comes from 8esus. :ot only do you lift your eyes to the hills, #ut you #egin to declare dominion o"er the enemy&s attachment to your students and their families. *ecause of your faith, and intimate time spent with 2im through those tough trials you are transformed into the oil which lights the lamp that illuminates 8esus to e"eryone around you. -ou #ecome the oil that pro"ides healing to those around you. -ou #ecome the oil that anoints and co"ers those in your sphere of influence. -ou #ecome the oil that adds #eauty to any situation. -ou #ecome the oil that adds fla"or to the con"ersations around you.
'

" thank my God e#ery time " remember you

"n all my prayers for all of you, " al%ays pray %ith &oy

because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until no%, ( being confident of this,

that )e %ho began a good %ork in you %ill carry it on to completion until the day of *hrist +esus ,hilippians -. /0(

Partner with the gospel and let 2im finish that good work in you.

The ;ord is with you and you are lo"ed, Toni -oung