Everyday, teachers leave school with tired souls, wondering if they made a difference. Their loved ones listen to the stories but there’s no way to understand unless they’ve endured the countless directions, decisions, and demands. There’s no way to fathom how many questions we’ve answered. There’s no way to feel the empathy pouring from our hearts for a hundred hurting souls who share space with us every day. 

If we were to live without Christ, most days would end fruitless. Whatever strength we mustered would evaporate long before our tasks were complete. Continual needs of students and staff would leave us dry. And, we’d be oppressed by personal sin, all day fighting selfishness or rehearsing endless worries: how to be faithful in this work, where to find peace, how to conquer bitterness. Without Christ, we would avoid the students who are difficult to love and we’d condemn ourselves when we lacked patience. We’d be desperate for a source of life which might revive or equip us, somehow. But, as Christian teachers, this isn’t our story. 

We have endlessly more than self-effort to draw from. Imagine finding the source of all life, then plugging yourself directly into it. There would be an immediate and ongoing flow of wellness and power. In Christ, we have these and more – we have the ultimate solution to the demands of our work. He provides renewal, strength, and energized purpose. 

Renewal

When we trust Christ as our Lord and Savior, we become a new creation (Rom 6:4). Jesus gives us a metaphor to explain this when He teaches that He is the Vine and we are the branches in John 15:1-11. In verses four and five, Jesus reminds us that He is the source of our renewal: “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” We see that Jesus chose to create a bond between His eternal life and our eternal need. He brought us to Himself and made us one (Eph 2:13). In this new relationship, we “have been brought from death to life” (Rom 6:13). We are the branch and we benefit immeasurably. 

Jesus purposefully likened our union with Him to a branch which has been grafted into a vine. We can see many similarities. Grafting involves creating an open wound on both plants, then placing them together for the bonding of their cells. In this way, the life in the vine transfers into the branch and they permanently combine to form one new plant. Similarly, Christ infuses us with His life, renewing us constantly for His glory. We have become new creations in Christ and the Spirit of Christ dwells in us. In this union, we’re no longer weak and fruitless, but alive, growing, and fruitful in Christ (Rom 6:11). This union with Christ places us in ongoing relationship with God and even changes us into His likeness. Therefore, we’re clothed in righteousness, which means the overwhelming weight of sin no longer marks our condition. Now, we are light, free, and renewed.

Strength Against Enemies

Another benefit of union with Christ flows from our position in the family of the Almighty God (Eph 3:15). In Jesus’ example, we understand more of the implications. When a branch is grafted into the vine, the vine strengthens the branch to stand strong against attacks, diseases, and stress. As children of God, Christ’s incomprehensible power works in our lives (Eph 1:18) giving us spiritual strength (Eph 1:3). In this royal household, we stand strong in the armor of God, firm in truth and godly virtues (Eph 6:14-17). By knowing truth, we recognize and overcome lies which cause stress and break us down. By practicing godly virtues, such as faith and righteousness, we form habits of goodness which help us resist sudden temptation. No matter what the enemy attempts, Christ is at work in us and the might of God is our strength (Eph 6:10). 

As teachers, we frequently come in contact with attacks, diseases, and stress. A myriad of cancerous thoughts and spiritual threats attempt to ambush us regularly. Our strength threatens to break down leaving us in a bitter, fruitless life with long seasons of drought and fear. But, in the strength God provides, we thrive, empowered by the Living God. We serve the One and Only God known by His gift of a Savior. Uniquely, He doesn’t expect us to earn our way to Him, on strength ever-failing, but empowers us to come to Him and live free, renewed and strong.

To be clear, this is not our effort plus His strength, but a Holy Spirit-generated work– just as a branch receives strength through the provision of the vine. We, then, live and move and exist by His power and not by anything self-contrived (Acts 17:28). He grants this gift of His abiding strength for our daily application. 

When Strength Requires Waiting

We live in Christ’s strength but sometimes we don’t see it. Waiting with trust for God’s results during trying times requires self-discipline. We must trust in God’s constant work behind the scenes. Remember, He acts in the fullness of His attributes at all times. God is all-powerful and ever-present, which is encouraging. Meanwhile, He’s also invisible and unfathomable. Consequently, we struggle to let Him be in control because we want to see results. But, living in strength does not mean we must forge on at every moment. We tend to measure His work according to our perception of progress, but we must measure it by faith in His promise that He’s working His immeasurable greatness of power for our good at all times (Rom 8:1-11; Eph 1:18-23). No matter if we’re resting, working, suffering or rejoicing, God’s mighty hand is always at work and we can confess our faith in Him as children determined to trust our Father. By faith, we can patiently watch for His beautiful promised outcome. 

Life empowered by the One True God proves unique: where all other religions demand self-effort, Yahweh, Jehovah gives of Himself to provide for our need. He is the loving, serving God. Therefore, He empowers us to love and serve the dying world. Precious teacher, when we abide in Christ, we have His strength to do the work He has called us to do.

Vibrant Purpose

When renewed and strengthened by our union with Christ, we’re also teachers with energized freedom to fulfill the purpose He has called us to. Isaiah shows us God’s loving call:

You “whom I took from the ends of the earth,

and called from its farthest corners,

saying to you, ‘You are my servant,

I have chosen you and not cast you off’;

fear not, for I am with you;

be not dismayed, for I am your God;

I will strengthen you, I will help you,

I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Is 41:9-10).

God actively invests Himself in us. According to Isaiah, God’s life is intertwined with ours, infusing us with His purpose. The Apostle Paul confirms this, explaining that when we belong to Christ we’re in the Spirit. The Spirit of God dwells in us, and the Spirit within us is life (Rom 8:9-11). Our lives have new purpose. In fact, we’re told: “we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Eph 2:10). For this reason, in union with Christ, we naturally advance by the Holy Spirit into the work He has designed.

How We Function

Jesus explains how his energy works in us by using the metaphor of the vine and the branches. Everything that makes a physical body function starts at the cellular level. From our brain to our fingertips, these fundamental factors motivate all of our actions. As Christians, our lives exist and are driven because we’re indwelt by the Source of all life. He directs us to take action. First, He calls us to look outside ourselves and bring the truth of His grace to the world. Specifically, he says, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Matt 28:19-20). As Christian teachers, we’re on mission, motivated with the energy of Christ to teach the world to observe all the Lord has commanded us. This applies no matter where we teach. Whether public or private school, there is no law against love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness or self-control. We can show our students the value of godly virtues and we can remind them of the infinite value of human life. When we point to these truths, we work to soften their hearts and prepare them to receive the gospel. Teachers, our hands are not tied, but energized by the Lord Himself. God empowers us to honor Him daily in our classrooms. The apostle Paul reveals God’s power this way, “Now, may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it” (1 Thes 5:23-24). 

Not only are we charged by the power of the Holy Spirit but we have motivating confidence because we have right-standing with Him (Rom 3:21-26). We no longer struggle under condemnation but we’re alive and we run our race with vitality. Paul explains this saying, In Christ, you “have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness” (Rom 6:17-18). In Christ, our hearts surge with purpose-filled desire to do God’s will. Not that our flesh doesn’t experience fatigue at times, but a boiling energy rises within our souls, powerful and ready to burst forth at the Lord’s call. 

With God’s life inside us, then, our lives become characterized by a God-powered desire to act in love toward others. No jealousy. No unforgiveness. No drudgery of obligation. It’s a life filled with godly passion. 

Encouraged and ready to go, we need to remember we are not snowballs gaining momentum down an endless mountain. Even though we have all of this motivation to move forward, we need to keep in step with the Spirit, we need to watch for the times God want us to pause. We are characterized by diligence, but life in Christ includes times when we slow down or stop. Then, we rest with trust and joy, knowing that we’re not the Source nor are we responsible for mustering up endless productivity. We simply keep our eyes on Jesus and, when the time is right, He will move us into action again.

Our Purpose in Producing Fruit

In a healthy vine, there comes a season to produce fruit. Similarly, when the time is right, the Lord glorifies Himself by producing fruit in our lives. John explains it this way: “By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples” (John 15:8). But remember, God’s glory comes in God’s timing. We do not prove to be the Lord’s disciples through busywork. Works do not equal fruit. Only when we align ourselves with God and walk in step with the Spirit do we bear fruit. When we agree to His ways and trust His guidance, then we move forward. Since this isn’t our natural response, it’s essential that we check our hearts to make sure we consistently operate with powerful desires for things which reap eternal rewards (Gal 6:1). If we find we’re focused on the desires of our flesh, then we repent knowing service for the glory of God alone brings fruit. With repentant hearts and passion for working with God, our lives are fruitful. The fruit which God produces in and through us will include personal heart change, minds fixed on godly virtues and outward actions which point others to Christ’s character. To God be the glory, and let our work as teachers be empowered by God so we live with vibrant purpose, bearing godly fruit.

The Vision

In my neighborhood, climbing vines show off their prolific glory with shiny green leaves, curling tendrils, strong reaching branches, and beautiful berries. They can barely be contained. God calls us to abide in Him so our lives will look like this too. As we abide, Christ’s life will continually flow through us. He will empower us to shine as lights in the darkness, to grow in grace and the knowledge of God and to reach out to the people around us for the glory of Christ. In this way, we dwell in Christ and produce fruit which brings Him praise. Dear teachers, may we consciously abide in Him and walk in vitality, strength and vibrant purpose.

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If you are looking for more information about how to abide in Christ, consider meditating daily on the attributes of God. The Character and Attributes of the Godhead by Julie Gossack can be found in the YouVersion Bible App plans or by going to http://gbcmt.org/kardiology101.