One day when my youngest daughter was in the third grade, she came home with two activity charts. One chart was from her teacher at school It contained a list of the various parts of a plant: root, stem, leaf, fruit. She was to put a mark in the appropriate column each time she had one of those for a meal. This chart would teach her the different parts of a plant and how each part was an important source of nourishment for her physical body. I am thankful to her teacher for educating my daughter with such information. Her teacher (including the previous and the subsequent teachers) will help my daughter live a better life.
The second chart was from her Bible class teacher. The list of things which she was to mark off (if accomplished) each day for one week were these: (1) Read my Bible, (2) Pray, (3) Obey the rules at home, (4) Obey the rules at school, (5) Be helpful to others, and (6) Be kind and polite. This chart would instill within her basic godly characteristics. Such instructions will make her wise unto salvation (2 Tim. 3:15), will help her to walk correctly so that she may be granted an entrance into the everlasting Kingdom (2 Pet. 1:10,11) and will help her to come to a knowledge of the truth to be saved (1 Tim. 2:3,4).
I am truly most thankful for both teachers. Any person who helps a man’s loved ones will be greatly appreciated. Yet, I will be eternally grateful for the Bible teacher, because, as the Scriptures put it, “For bodily exercise [in general, things not permanent in nature (GH)] profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having the promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come” (1 Tim. 4:8).
May the Bible Class Teacher be exhorted because of the truly great nature of his/her work and of the profound and everlasting effort which he/she has upon the student’s precious soul.
Gary Henson