Raise Your Hand to Walk or Talk

As a first grade teacher, I feel like I spend most of the day repeating directions. I am constantly saying, 'stay in your seat' and 'raise your hand.' The rules of the classroom are 'raise your hand to walk or talk.' Seems like after 100 or more days of school, one would think the students would start to get into the routine. But, at the ages of 6 and 7, some children are not quite ready to accept this responsibility. Most kids point the finger and get 'someone else' in trouble instead of dealing with themselves. It is a daily, more like hourly, battle to follow instructions and listen to the teacher. This results in disciplinary action, with the hope that students learn to follow the rules.

The more I ponder this quandary regarding the first graders, the more I think of the spiritual illustration in this scenario. For a teacher, the goal is to help students learn and grow to become independent responsible reading, writing, mathematical individuals. I can only imagine the frustration of a Holy God. At times, we behave like an irresponsible, intolerant, self-centered 6 year old! This can be expected from young children, they have to be taught. As a new Christian, I was similar to an infant learning to drink milk from a bottle and crawl. But, as an adult, we should be learning and growing by praying, reading God's Word, and becoming involved in a Bible study. As we mature in our relationship with God, we are learning to drink from a cup, eat with a fork and walk, so to speak. Eventually, with maturity comes serving, teaching and discipling others to grow in their relationship with God as well.

As you can imagine, students raise their hand and wave it in the air, trying not to make any noise, but letting out squeals and anxious noises, still trying their best to get the attention of the teacher any way they can. Impatiently, they wait and wiggle.

Can you see it? We do the same. We moan and groan, crying out to God, begging for His attention. What results, if we do not wait for Him, can be messy consequences.

God, the Teacher, has the ultimate patience with us. Raise your hand to walk or talk seems obvious to me now. We should be raising our hands and asking for Him to be in our every move. He is the One who knows what the future holds, the ultimate keeper of the classroom of life.

Even though it seems as though your hand has been in the air forever and you're tired of holding it up; even propping it up by the elbow with your other hand, the Teacher sees you. You will have to exercise patience, but He will not leave your request unanswered.

Proverbs 3:5-6 NAS
Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
And do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He will make your paths straight.


Keep reaching for the Teacher and be encouraged, His ways are good!
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