There are few careers offering the same trials and rewards as teaching. One unique aspect of teaching is how one of the worst parts is so intertwined with the best part – the relationships. Over the past three years I have met, gotten to know, taught, and cared for over 200 people. Over the past three years I have also said goodbye to over 200 people who once occupied a desk in my classroom, a classroom I know longer have since I am moving away to Arizona where I will have a new classroom full of new students where this process will begin again. After all, history does repeat itself.
But this post is not about my move. Actually, it’s about treasure!
Treasure is typically seen as something worldly, as something with monetary value. And with this framing, the passage in the Bible below was one I struggled to understand because I interpreted it way too literally.
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” – Matthew 6:19-21
The last part I always understood; you love what you value. (Fun side note, this part of the passage appears in the book Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows!) And therefore it is important not to value worldly things as much as Godly things. But the concept of treasures in Heaven always confused me – what do I need treasures in Heaven for? I’m in Heaven! I understood the building of the treasures is doing good things on Earth but I found myself struggling to see how this computed to some sort of reward in Heaven. Regardless of my deeds on Earth, our salvation is through accepting God’s sacrifice of Jesus. So why would anything I do lead to something ‘extra’ in Heaven and what would it even be? Again, it’s Heaven, it’s already amazing!
A few weeks ago, I finally figured out what my treasure in Heaven will be. And as you could likely predict, it isn’t something of monetary value. This discovery came about primarily due to the events of a high school graduation party, one I originally did not plan to attend but somehow ended up at anyway.
Five senior grads I taught were there. At the end of the evening it was time to say goodbye. I went down the line, telling them each my favorite memory of them and some parting advice. The things I told to each of them will not be written on this posting – those words are for them and they may tell others about it if they wish but it is not for me to put it out into the open. One had to leave before it was all over but otherwise, it quickly became a very emotional and tear filled experience for the remaining four. It is hard for students and teachers alike to go from seeing one another for hours every week and then it just ceases. Usually with this sort of goodbye, a student will be sad but rationalizes the situation because they tell themselves they will come back to visit. But as I teacher, I know while a few do return, many don’t and even those who do typically only return once or very sparingly before eventually stopping altogether. And this time because of my move, former students of mine no longer have this option so they realize how permanent this goodbye is.
As a teacher you spend your time watching kids grow up. You see them in some of their highest moments and some of their lowest. Certainly, it is up to me to make sure they learn my subject, but I also do what I can to help them prepare for their futures, and help them become better people. Before my eyes they learn and grow and I’m overjoyed just to be there to see it. And then one day they are just gone, a desk becomes empty before being filled by someone new and the process starts again. Yet, every time I am left wondering what impact did I make? Did I make an impact at all? This is the true plight of teaching. For the rest of my life, I will never truly know the outcome of my work, or the impact I made on someone.
But standing on the driveway with those grads, I got a glimpse. It’s as if there’s this giant mural all covered up and I got to take a quick peek at one of the corners. It was more breath taking than a sunset, more exciting than the best rollercoaster, more fulfilling than cold water on a hot day. All of this from one little glimpse. As I stood in the driveway while one of them spoke to me, I had a sudden realization which I shared with them and now will share with those who are still reading.
While I do not preach my faith in school, many students share their beliefs with me and anytime a students asks if I believe in anything I do tell them I am a Christian. I knew this particular group of former students are strong in their faith and they also knew I am a Christian too. Which is why the true beauty of this moment was not the wonderful glimpse I saw of the impact I made on them. The true beauty, was knowing this goodbye would not be permanent. I will see them, and a good chunk of my other students again someday, even if it isn’t in this lifetime. In Heaven, God will reveal the entire mural to me and this group of students and many others will eventually be there and get to tell me about the impact I made and how their lives turned out. They will be able to go into the kind of detail they either won’t have the time or the words for in this life.
Now I understand how one can have treasure in Heaven.
There were many other incredible goodbyes during my last week teaching at Highland. I got a handcrafted wooden wand and stand from two students, Harry Potter merch and Reese’s from another and some cheese from another. I was confided in about some sad things by one and another wrote me a note telling me I was the reason they they developed a newfound passion for theology and had decided to begin reading the Bible again after years of negative religious experiences. Most goodbyes were quite simple and left a mystery as to how or if I made an impact at all. But these mysteries will eventually be treasures. How or why God has chosen to use someone as simple and flawed as me to teach others and to be the recipient of something so wonderful is something says a lot about how He loves. My treasures are really His and I am grateful just to be a part of it.
Teaching for now at least, is my calling and I am excited to see where it takes me next. But for now I will end this with one word representing a Godly trait embodied those five grads from the party in the order of which I said goodbye to them. Creative. Loyal. Humble. Servant. Joyful.
If you’re intrigued by this post and looking forward to what I’ll write about in the future, you can expect a new post at some point in the future. Also, if you feel inclined, feel free to leave a comment below about what you think. Thanks for all your support and I hope you’ll come back the next time I post. Stay Amazing!