Everyone has a worldview, whether they are a Christian or not. A worldview is, “The overall perspective from which one sees and interprets the world.” (Worldview) Everyone has a set of principles by which to judge right and wrong, which guides them in everyday living. As a Christian and as an aspiring teacher, (I currently substitute teach in my district) I find that they cannot be two separate things. I am a “Christian teacher.” I don’t usually have to tell anyone this, they seem to realize it and I have kids all ages ask me to pray for them. Adults also can see a difference in who I am as a Christian. One person said it was my eyes and smile. God’s light shines from within us.

In 1 Peter 4:10 the Bible states that, “As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” (BibleGateway) Every-day I encounter children that are needy and don’t personally know the love of Christ. It’s up to me to show them Jesus’ love by being caring, nonjudgemental, and by giving out grace abun-dantly. There are some children that have different diagnoses, like ADHD or emotional issues, that can make this really difficult. It is in those times I draw on His strength to show the love I do not necessarily feel. I feel it is a gift and have had that confirmed by a Pastor while praying over me. He said I am a mother to many, and in this vocation I have been called to, I believe it. Sometimes we have to pick up where parents leave off. Whether it be to tell a child that they can’t act a certain way because it’s not nice or by giving them the love they may be missing at home, in a “professional” way. Sometimes it is just as simple as telling them they are smart and capable when they believe they are not. Children believe what adults tell them.

Proverbs 22:6 says that we should, “Train up a child in the way he should go, Even when he is old he will not depart from it.” (BibleGateway) That promise isn’t just for parents. I believe it is for anyone who has any sort of relationship with children while they are young and impres-sionable. Every time I have a chance to pour into a child’s life, I take it very seriously. For some children it’s as simple as just smiling at them when they walk by or walk into the classroom. For others, a hug and some positive affirmations go a long way. There are others who can test the limits of a person’s patience and some days are definitely harder than others. Those days require a lot more prayer than others. There are behaviors to handle when children act out or are just not challenged enough. I trust God to guide me and give me the correct words needed for every child I come into contact with, whether they are in Elementary, Middle, or High School. I also con-sider the part in the verse that says, “…in the way HE should go…” Every child has a unique set of needs that should be handled according to what they need. You can not have a cookie cutter approach to teaching children; no two are alike.

Being a substitute teacher, with the hopes of someday having my own classroom, is not always an easy vocation, but I do feel that The Lord has placed me in this position for a reason. As I continue to work with children of all ages I gain more and more understanding about what real love is. My worldview has matured and grown with my relationship with The Lord. As I understand why people do the things they do, it makes my life bit easier on the hard days. I enjoy what I do and I do believe it’s because God has ordained it and blessed it. I can’t wait to see where He takes me!

References
BibleGateway. (n.d.). Retrieved February 13, 2016, from https://www.biblegateway.com/

Worldview. (n.d.). Retrieved February 13, 2016, from http://www.thefreedictionary.com/ worldview