For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office… (Romans 12:4, KJV).
The phone call came in the middle of the day. “Pastor wants you to teach the third grade boys’ class in Vacation Bible School.” Since I was a high school teacher, I guess the pastor thought I should be able to teach any age anywhere. Reluctantly, I agreed to accept the assignment out of respect for him. The planning went well, but when the first day’s session was over, I was in tears—a woman in my twenties overwhelmed by eight third grade boys. They showed no interest in the class projects nor my object lessons. They talked louder than I and scattered crayons and snacks about the room. I could not grasp the psychology of “wiggling.” I pulled myself together and the with encouragement from other staff members decided to try again. After an even worse second day, I quit.
What did I learn from this? There are people who are called and chosen to teach third grade boys and I am not one of them. I had neither the gift, nor the ability, nor the talent, nor the desire to teach third grade boys. I was beginning to understand that “all members have not the same office,” and I should not try to fit into a niche for which I was neither called nor equipped.
(c) C. Yvonne Karl – yvonnekarl@gmail.com
Published by UPCI in The Vision – May 31, 2009.
Musings by Yvonne. Selah! 