Miracles

Sitting in a teacher meeting on Friday, several teachers and I were talking about how to help our students grow academically. After the middle of the year reading assessments, some of them did not perform as well as we had hoped. As the reading specialist, it is my job to work with students that are having a difficult time in reading. The list of students who needed help had grown since the beginning of the year, so the grade level teachers and I began developing a plan of the students who would attend my reading groups each day.  My list grew quite large and definitely set me up for a challenge ahead.  Somewhere in the conversation, I flippantly made the comment, “I can’t work miracles but I will do the best I can.”  And, I truly meant that, yes, I would do the best I could to help these students and to grow them in reading.  That part of the comment was positive but….the more I reflected on the first part of the statement about not being able to work miracles, the more upset I became with myself.  Why would I say that? Miracles are possible and I can make miracles happen.  And, this is how I know….

In the school setting, as teachers, we perform miracles everyday. To the child who went home the night before to a cold house, barely ate dinner, got himself dressed the next morning, and then with little enthusiasm or energy loaded the bus for school the next day, the teacher who greets that child with a smile and a hug and a simple statement of “Good morning, it’s good to see you,” THAT greeting that warmed that child’s heart was a miracle to him. 

To the Kindergartener who enters the school doors for the first time and can barely talk, doesn’t know the alphabet exists, and barely knows how to interact with other students and adults and then leaves for summer in June holding books that he can READ, the team of teachers that taught that child how to read performed a miracle.  Those teachers provided that student with a hope – being able to READ opens so many doors for him.

To the third, fourth, or fifth grader who has struggled to understand what is being taught in math and is getting ready to give up and then her teacher offers to spend extra one on one time with her afterschool or first thing in the morning. Then, finally, she understands and is so proud of herself for sticking with it – that is a miracle to her. 

You see?? Everyday in our school settings, we work miracles.  Students who enter our doors with no hope, no energy, no motivation, and many times, no positive interactions with adults, they go out of our doors everyday having been lifted up, loved on, encouraged, challenged, and reminded that THEY ARE SOMEBODY IMPORTANT and that THEY CAN LEARN. That’s a miracle.

So, for me to say, “I can’t work miracles” here at school. That’s a lie.  I CAN work miracles with the students I serve. I already have worked miracles daily.  I provide the students with a smiling face who is ready to read with them daily.  I take the time to plan instruction that I know will benefit them – in small, individual ways.  When I see the students get frustrated, I remind them of their strengths, I remind them of the growth that I have seen in them as readers and as thinkers.  I talk to them about their lives, I hug them, and yes, I tell them that I love them. Most importantly, I try my best to give these students MY BEST everyday and that’s a miracle. 

And, now, to a bigger setting…as I reflected and repented on my flippant, untrue, negative statement, I was reminded of this scripture, “There is one who speaks rashly like the thrusts of a sword. But the tongue of the wise brings healing” (Proverbs 12:18). In that teacher meeting, I spoke rashly (without thinking first). I let words fly out of my mouth without taking the time to reflect on what I was really saying and I have talked to Jesus about that. I’ve apologized to Him and He has cast that sin into the depths of the sea.

I repented for lying to myself and to others because when I said, “I can’t work miracles,” I told a lie.  Because, you know what??? I can work miracles just as Jesus did.  Jesus CAN and WILL work miracles through me and I KNOW that in my heart so I am ashamed that I spoke against what God’s Word teaches me.  I’m so thankful that I have a savior who took my sins to the cross and left them there and my flippant words are now nailed to that cross and, after this blog, I will dwell on them no longer. 

But, for now, let me set myself straight and remind myself again that I am a miracle worker.  In John 14:12, Jesus says, “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to my Father.” When Jesus walked this Earth, he healed the sick, he forgave sins, he set people free of the guilt that was burdening them, and he set them free from the captivity of the Devil.  Now, because Jesus lives in me and I am filled with the power of the Holy Spirit, I can allow Jesus to continue His miracles through me. I will continue to pray daily that Jesus rise up in me when the opportunities to do His Works come forth - that I may speak according to His Word and heal and deliver those around me. 

So, let me conclude by changing that terrible statement that came out of my mouth on Friday. I change my declaration – I will no longer say, “I can’t work miracles.” But, I will say, “YES, I CAN and WILL work miracles.” 

Thank you, Holy Spirit, for your correction and guidance. Thank you Jesus for loving me enough to get me back on course in my thinking and in my speaking. What a beautiful savior we serve!  

And…to all my teacher friends….thank YOU for working miracles daily for the students that enter our classroom doors.  I love each of you!