As teachers, we want to inspire our students. We want them to love the subject area we teach. We want them to like us. (We are all pulling for the “favorite teacher card,” aren't we?) And, we want to positively impact their lives for the better. 

This desire to inspire our students is natural, and, in and of itself, it is a good thing. However, like most things in this world, if we do not keep an eternal perspective, we can easily slip into dangerous territory. 

You see, inspiring our students was never supposed to be the main point of our job (despite what many movies and television shows would have us believe). Instead, serving the Lord was meant to be the focus of our teaching.

When we work with enthusiasm for the Lord rather than for people, our work takes on a deeper meaning. And as we settle into the spiritual benefits of teaching, the Lord changes us from the inside out. When we stop worrying so much about what other people think and focus on pleasing the Lord, His peace overflows from us. And this peace from the Lord truly inspires our students!

Psalm 37:4 explains it well: “Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart” (ESV).

Now, let’s be careful in our thinking here…

Working for the Lord does not mean we lose focus of the job itself. Instead, working for the Lord means that we choose to do all parts of our jobs with excellence—preparing, teaching, planning, grading, disciplining, and more.

Working for the Lord also does not mean that our jobs have to consume our lives. We are, after all, whole people. Great teachers can also be wonderful parents, excellent spouses, and faithful friends.

Most importantly, working for the Lord in a way that inspires our students requires us to wake up every morning, surrender to the Lord, and say, “God, today, once again, I’m Yours. Use me as You wish.”

Keep seeking Him! He will surely give us the desires of our hearts by inspiring our students through us.

Linda Kardamis taught middle school math before founding Teach 4 the Heart. She is the author of Create Your Dream Classroom and Take Heart and Teach and the creator of Classroom Management 101. She and her husband are raising their four kids in Northeast Ohio.

Join Linda Kardamis and David Schmus from October 19–24 for the annual Rise Up Summit, a free online conference to help Christian teachers shine for Christ in the midst of a confused and uncertain world.
Christian Educators Members with Coverage receive a 40% discount on all Teach 4 the Heart courses as a benefit of membership. Log in to your membership account at christianeducators.org to access your discount code.