Faith Christian School went on Fall Break a few weeks ago. In the weeks leading up to the Fall Break, I had
multiple friends and non-FCS teachers ask me, “What are you going to do for Fall Break?” Saying that our Faith teachers would be attending a Professional Development event while the students were off of school was met with some sympathetic expressions. However, the pity was unnecessary. While it would have been nice to have 2 whole days off to do whatever I wanted to do, what I experienced was a refreshing and inspiring time of remembering why I am a teacher and the influence I have on the students I come in contact with.
The Professional Development event we took part in was at an off campus site with 120 satelink sites participating all over the globe. This format was a bit of a change for those of us who have been around a while. These two days used to include live speakers, breakout sessions, and vendor giveaways. But, “times they are a changing”. You know how hard it is to set aside memories of the good ole days, but my goal was to have a good attitude about the changes, and walk away a better teacher and administrator than I was before. I believe I met my goal.
Since that event, I have thought back quite a bit on one particular speaker who spoke about 3 types of people: 1s, 2s, and 3s.
1s are people who don’t do the right thing even when someone is looking
2s are people who do the right things ONLY when people are looking, and
3s are people who do the right thing even when no one is looking.
Throughout the course of the session, the speaker explained the characteristics of each—mostly as it applied to students, but also as it applied to teachers. Judging by the laughter, most of the people at the event could personally relate to the examples she was giving and could probably even picture that one student or teacher that fell into each category. We were challenged to be the best teachers we could be by being 3s at all times. We would all certainly expect surgeons to be 3s during every surgery, so why would the expectation of teachers be any less? It’s not! Don’t you know that teachers save lives too!
Ultimately, this is not just a challenge for teachers, but for everyone.
Colossians 3:17 says, “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” Everything we do should be to the glory of God and that requires us to do the right thing even when no one is looking.
It’s not like we wake up each day and say, “You know what. I think I am going to be a 2 today.” Sometimes we just get lazy or overwhelmed or stressed or just plain tired of doing the right thing–especially in a world that tries to blur the lines between right and wrong. However, Galatians 6:9 reminds us, “ Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”
I hope you are challenged as I was to never tire of doing good. No matter where you are or who is watching, be the 3 you were meant to be!
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