Are you valued?

How can we measure value? Your value to be precise, by what can we measure your value, to prove your value? A challenging question, isn't it? If you were to value yourself, what would you be worth? And if you had any value at all?

              

From Monday to Monday, you are constantly wrecking your brain trying to work on the BEST lesson your children/students have ever experienced. Why? Because you know and understand that your classes are not really about TEACHING the word of God, they are not about telling them of God rather, each lesson is an experience of the word of God; you understand that each child must have an experience of who God says He is in His word.

From time to time, you feel undervalued, like you do not matter like maybe this isn't really for you. Your kids/students will tear the beautiful chart you worked all week on for them to understand a particular concept, one will just after doing his craft chuck it in the bin, and another will after beautifully colouring in his worksheet, will fold it and place it in the corner of the class. And wait for it...you'll ask what we learnt about the previous week? Not one will have an answer. 

All these bumps will make you feel sooooooooo undervalued that you think, "Let's close up shop." I remember little "Sammy" in my class, who at the time was 4 years old, Sammy resented colouring and doing crafts for some reason, we had to negotiate before I got him to do any of those, annnnnd after teaching a lesson one time (I was teaching on Mark 10:13-16) I asked, "what was your favourite part of this lesson?" (this helps to see who was listening and which parts I had lost them on and how I could improve on that) Sammy folded his arms and placed his feet on the table, and said, "Teacher, I liked the part when Jesus was sharing ice cream with his friends." He cracked out laughing and so did the rest of the class. 

Recently (2 years later)I bumped into Sammy and his family at a church event, Sammy is now +- 8 years old, and he screamed with joy, and said to his parents pointing at me, "Wow Mom, Dad! There right there is the best Sunday School teacher I ever had." Honestly, I almost teared up right there, because I had no idea all my efforts and lessons mattered to Sammy, to Sammy I thought I had no value.

 

Truth? Truth is you are valued, you matter much more than you think. Your efforts do not go unnoticed. Your efforts are felt and seen by your children and God. To them you are far more than value; you know each by name, you are always glad to see them, you like them equally, you never get tired of helping them, you are always smiling, and you consider their feelings. For those bumps, and hiccups we hit along the way, God is our strength, peace, guide, light, provider, counsellor, and comforter. Throughout the journey, tirelessly God is with us every step of the way, even when we do not recognise, but He is here/there for YOU.

 

My name is Amanda, I am a scholar in Theology. Amongst many things, I was trained on how to teach women, young people, and children. I am a passionate Sunday school teacher/Kids' Bible class teacher for 8 years in October, this is how I have been serving the Lord and making an impact in my community. I hope to learn and hear from you, much love.