You Aren’t as Important as You Might Think, But You’re Priceless

As an immature, proud, and inexperienced 20 year old, I applied to teach at Tidings of Peace Christian School.  The administrator, who also happened to be my father, gladly accepted my willingness to serve as a teacher’s aide.  The board, who was either too blind or too desperate, agreed to hire me.

For anyone with a similar title, you may be able to relate to the kinds of jobs that were included in my unwritten job description.  A little maintenance, a few science experiments, a bunch of breaks. As the year progressed a few other titles and a lot more work began to fill my plate, such as assistant principal, development director, and IT coordinator.  When I began, I was unaware of all the support work needed to make a small school function, but I learned quickly that there is a lot.

The volume of work bestowed on me at a very young age had the negative effect of making me feel indispensable.  The positive effect was the passion I received for teaching and the need I felt to increase my learning. I applied for Summer Term at Faith Builders and too eagerly applied for a 12-credit course load.  This was a very exciting time, but when my instructors attempted to convince me to invest two years in the Teacher Apprenticeship Program, I told them I was indispensable at my school and couldn’t afford to leave.

After two more years at school, I was convinced that my development as a person was more important than all the odd jobs I was completing at the school.  In faith, I applied for the two-year program and was graciously accepted as well as awarded the TAP scholarship. Those two years were worth all the investment others made in my life.

Upon my return, I was shocked to discover that the school ran well without me!  Of course, the staff were delighted to have me back, but I wasn’t as indispensable as I had previously so foolishly assumed. I had a renewed vision to pour into the lives of my students with a much clearer picture of my own unworthiness and my amazing pricelessness in the sight of God.

Your homework:

1. Make long term plans for your personal development.  Don’t be scared of higher education.
2. Research one way you can develop and grow during the summer. You might consider Faith Builder’s five-week Summer Term.
3. If you are feeling overwhelmed, take a solitude day and reflect on who you are in Christ.

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CONTRIBUTOR: Austin Shenk