“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart. And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.” – Deuteronomy 6:4-7

I take my work as a Bible class teacher very seriously. I spend hours studying so that I can help young minds realize the importance of loving, serving and learning about God. Sometimes the work is very difficult. The kids aren’t interested in learning, they are tired or preoccupied with school stuff or video games, the parents are apathetic, unsupportive or are down-right discouraging. Some days I leave class feeling very alone. I feel that I am at the very bottom of the mountain trying to get to the top with no one there to help me.

But occasionally you have nights like last Wednesday night. Last week, every child in my class had completed their homework, most of the class knew their memory verse and they participated in the class. Even the wannabe “slackers” had done their work and were answering questions. They actually remembered what I taught them. We played a review game and the kids answered every question except one. It is nights like this that give me the strength to continue trying.

The stakes are so high. If you fail as a math teacher the child may not graduate, be able to balance a checkbook, make change or understand the terms of a loan, it may even cost him a job. But if you fail as a Bible teacher, you could cost a child his soul. This is a very sobering thought. There is so little time that you have to teach these children. Often, the teaching you provide is the only Bible teaching the children receive. I am thankful that with all the nights of discouragement there are a few nights like these where the kids “get it”. I am hoping that tonight is another one of those few.