"Them hath he filled with wisdom of heart..."
Read: Exodus 35:29-35 and Proverbs 4
As we prepare our classrooms and learning environments this year, we also prepare our hearts to pour of ourselves into students, colleagues, and community partners as well as our personal circles of family members and friends. The reach of an educator goes far beyond class time and teaching curriculum content to classes of students (although the depth and extent of these roles are immeasurable!) How we say what we say matters. Our values expressed in our everyday conversation, attitude, interpersonal interactions, and behavior all influence those around us, and in turn, can create ripples if not waves throughout our communities.
Each educator has some reason(s) or circumstance(s) for the why of entering this field - and it is a mission field, but the heart of the matter is that wherever your position lies within this field, God has positioned you where you are according to his will to meet the needs of his people. During the Exodus, Israelites "whose heart made them willing" brought "a willing offering" to God. Of this group of heart-led, willing worshipers of God, Moses noted Bezaleel and Aholiab as examples, describing their talents and explaining of each, "he hath put in his heart that he may teach," which illustrates for us that "all manner of work" can be placed in our hearts by the will of God. If you are led to teach or lead or assist or advocate or even learn, it is because God has instilled that in your heart.
David emphasizes God's role in purifying and strengthening our hearts in his words, "Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me" (Psalms 51:10), and "God is the strength of my heart" (Psalms 73:26). Understanding God's influence within our hearts and how we need him there, we are also called to protect our hearts. Proverbs 4 instructs: "Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life." Our lives and how we cope with the issues of life depend on the strength of our hearts.
We are in influential positions within our communities to affect the hearts and lives of many people. Let's guard our hearts and take care to fill up with the love of Jesus Christ so that we are ready and able to share that love in our communities through our daily interactions in the workplace and at home.
PRAYER: Thank you, Lord, for instilling in us a heart for our work. Please lead us to reflect your love and will through our daily interactions at work and at home so that we may have a positive impact on our communities at large and, in turn, lead followers to you. We serve you and ask for these blessings in Christ's name. Amen.
