Core Scripture: “Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains.” (James 5:7)

Message: Teaching middle schoolers sometimes makes me shake my head and smile.  They lack something called … what is it?  Oh yeah: maturity.  After all, they are middle schoolers!  Making the jump from 7^th grade to 6^th grade has made this more than apparent.  Case in point the following examples from this year …

• One boy loves to smile and swing his water bottle above his head.  Not sure why.
• I have reached a record number of chair tippers who have crashed dramatically to the floor.
• A girl I teach likes miniature ducks.  She carries them around and gave a few to me. 
• It has become a trend to talk like a baby.  With many of my kids. 
• A boy who likes wearing fancy dress clothing always ends up pulling his socks up to his knees by the end of the day.  He says they are his knickers. 

I could probably go on, but yeah … you get the point.  There are days I come home and wonder if they will ever grow up.  I might even start hearing some lies from Satan asking if it is even worth it.  Why even try if these kids are just not getting it yet? 

There is a shift of perspective here that needs to happen.  These kids still have that childlike innocence inside them, and that is something that I need to see.  It makes this 47-year-old stay young at heart.  It helps me not take the world too seriously and cling to the purity of youth.  It is amazing what these kids can teach me!  I just have to open my eyes. 

But it is more than just lessons in staying young.  There are times when they actually get it!  There are times when they grow!  Last week was one of those moments.  A sweet girl who shares my Christian faith and attends FCA came up to me.

“I have something for you!” she smiled mischievously.  “I am bringing it to you tomorrow.”

The next morning, she caught me as the kids were filling the bleachers and gave me a glass heart with an inscription about planting seeds (see picture above).  Two of her friends flanked her shoulders, and they proudly declared it was from all of them.  Totally priceless!

It made me think … A lot of these kids have yet to bloom.  There is no telling how many of them will take something from my class that they don’t fully comprehend now and allow it to sink in years later.  These little seeds just need to be watered! 

It reminds me of an old student of mine.  Well, he wasn’t actually a student in my class.  I supervised Josh over lunch my first year of teaching.  Let’s just say I got to know Josh and his buddies pretty well.  He was the ringleader, and he gave the lunchroom a bit of flavor.

It must have been six years later when I was teaching the last period of the day where the kids were wrapping up their homework.  I was sitting at my desk when there was a knock at the door.  In walked a burly, clean cut college kid.  I did a double-take.

“Josh?” I almost whispered.  “Is that you?”

He smiled warmly and gave me a firm handshake. 

“Yeah, it’s me,” he chuckled.  “You remember!” 

“How could I not?” I chuckled.  “What brings you here?”

He laughed, but you could tell something needed to be said on his end. 

“Well, I am in college now, and I am going to school to be a teacher.  I was assigned to observe in your building, and I asked if you were still here.”

His lips tightened, and he paused, looking me in the eye. 

“I just … I just wanted to say … I’m sorry.” 

My eyes began to water.  So did his.  That immature goofball I once knew had molded into a respectable young man.  What a turnaround!  We chatted for a few minutes and caught up, reminiscing about old times.  One thing was for sure …

His seed had sprouted.

When you find yourself frustrated over the little things, don’t allow them to get you down.  Just know that a few of those seeds need to be watered.  And to think I learned this lesson all over again from a few sweet 6^th grade girls. 

Incredible how the Lord works like that.

Challenge: Continue planting seeds of wisdom in your students’ hearts.  They may not understand today, but they will get it down the road.  When they return to tell you the difference you made, it makes it all worthwhile. 

Bible study: Read Matthew 13:1-23 and journal or discuss the following questions.

1. How does this parable apply to teaching?
2. How is scattering seeds broadly worth it?

Prayer points: Lift up the following areas to the Lord …

• Praise God for the opportunities He gives us to plant seeds. 
• Pray that we can be patient as our students learn to grow.
• Pray that God will grow our children to produce bountiful fruit for Him.

Just for fun: Alright, I need to come clean.  My middle school days were not too far from the incidents I listed above.  I remember one of my classrooms had slick tile flooring.  It became my tradition to flop belly down in my comfy sweatshirt and Army crawl around the room between periods.  Not sure if the teacher ever saw me.

I likewise remember declaring to the class that I enjoyed eating glue.  You know, when Elmer’s Glue hardens, leaving a gooey chunk on the tip of the bottle?  My teacher, Mr. Lacicero, pulled me aside and told me that wasn’t the best idea.  Oh, Mr. Lacicero, if you could see me now!  I finally get it! 

Prayer: Father, thank you for the opportunity to scatter seeds amongst my students.  I pray You will water these sweet children and allow them to grow.  Amen.