‘Taught by the Lord’ – wherever school may be
It’s been an unconventional school year, to say the least. But regardless of circumstances, everyone has a God-given ability to cultivate creativity, intelligence, and joy.
Among the many essential workers currently recognized as heroic given the unusual circumstances they’re working in, teachers stand out to me as particularly inspiring. Lately I’m also feeling inspired by their students, especially the youngest ones, who have begun their school careers facing a screen. Recently when I heard a news story about kindergartners who were learning from home, I found myself somewhat in awe of their wide-eyed curiosity and adaptability.
Mary Baker Eddy, the founder of the Monitor, cared deeply about education. Before discovering Christian Science and founding a church and a publishing organization, she started a kindergarten. She also recognized “moral and spiritual culture” as an essential building block for success. In “Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures” she notes, “...it is not so much academic education, as a moral and spiritual culture, which lifts one higher” (p. 235).
Even in the face of a situation as demanding as what our world is facing now, all students have an inherent, God-given ability to cultivate the kinds of qualities that prepare them for meaningful contributions as citizens, including worthwhile careers.
This is because the source of our growth and progress is God, and God’s goodness is continuous, as highlighted in a biblical promise that my mother turned to frequently during my brother’s and my days in school. It’s where a prophet, Isaiah, is foretelling how Jerusalem will return from exile: “‘The mountains may disappear, and the hills may come to an end, but my love will never disappear; my promise of peace will not come to an end,’ says the Lord who shows mercy to you.... All your children will be taught by the Lord, and they will have much peace” (Isaiah 54:10, 13, New Century Version). This is how my mom prayed for me as a new kindergarten pupil, when my first day at school was significantly postponed due to a teachers’ strike.
That strike delay was a modest situation compared to what teachers, students, and parents are facing at present. Still, we can find encouragement in thinking of God as the one divine Mind, the true educator of all. This infinite Mind bestows wisdom and intelligence equally on everyone, which means that no one can be deprived of fresh ideas and solutions, even in the face of overwhelming challenges. Everyone is included when it comes to the guidance and care of this one Mind, which is also divine Love.
Affirming this in our prayers helps bring out more tangibly the spiritual qualities of Mind that are innate in each one of us.
In my former experience as a teacher of inmates in a prison, this understanding of God as everyone’s true Mind gave me tremendous assurance that past difficult experiences with education could not deprive these individuals of opportunities to succeed. As I prayed to witness that they were truly “taught by the Lord” rather than limited by a makeshift classroom with no set curriculum and few resources, I saw the “moral and spiritual culture” of my classroom improve considerably. There was a spirit of joy and freedom that indicated to me that there was something beyond all of us, something divine, guiding us.
And a number of those students made significant academic gains and went on to earn their high school diplomas, despite having entered the class at a fourth- to sixth-grade reading level.
No matter what kinds of obstacles need surmounting in (or outside) the classroom, divine Mind is here to inspire teachers and students alike with creativity, resilience, and intelligence. We can confidently trust our all-knowing divine teacher.
As we hail and support teachers, parents, and students through prayer and otherwise, may we continue to learn from the eagerness, humility, and vivacity of these children and nurture these God-given qualities as they move forward.
Some more great ideas! To hear a podcast discussion about how we can experience the healing power of God’s goodness, please click through to the latest edition of Sentinel Watch on www.JSH-Online.com titled “Omnipotence: God's power for good heals.” There is no paywall for this podcast.