5 Ways Teachers Can Pray for Students
A teacher has the profound privilege of influencing the life of a child. It may not always be readily apparent in the day-to-day grind, but a teacher’s investment in the life of a child is incalculable and invaluable. Teaching not only comes with great opportunity; it comes with great responsibility. Such responsibility requires near supernatural ability, which is why I believe prayer is an essential companion. Every teacher and student need strength and wisdom only God can give.
Consider five practical ways teachers can pray for students:
- Pray for learned minds.
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your mind, and with all your soul…” Matthew 22:37
A desire to learn is always a good place to start. It can be very difficult to get a child to pay attention or motivate them to learn when they don’t care or want to be there. Not only is this discouraging for a teacher, it’s distracting for everyone else. Few things thrill a teacher more than having a student show up with an eagerness to learn. Such an attitude can also be contagious for other students. Pray for children to have their minds focused on learning as they enter the classroom.
- Pray for nourished tummies.
“For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat…”
Matthew 25:35
Nutrition could not be overstated, yet children go to bed hungry every night. Lack of nutrition is a growing epidemic in America. The church I pastor has a backpack ministry. We partner with a local food bank and elementary school. Each week children are given a food bag for the weekend. Sadly, some leave on Friday knowing it will be Monday before they eat another good meal. This is far too common. Children cannot concentrate if their tummies are empty. Furthermore, they need a nutritious diet of solid food, not fast food. Pray for children to develop good eating habits and for them to be well nourished as they enter the classroom.
- Pray for rested bodies.
“Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God”
1 Corinthians 10:31
Rest is key to replenishing the body and renewing brain cells that are essential for learning. Information retention and memory function are related to restful sleep. There are a number of different things (i.e. cell phone, gaming console, iPod, iPad) that can distract a child from a good nights sleep. Those things need to be put away and parents need to be diligent and disciplined in ensuring that that happens. Pray for children to develop good sleeping habits and for their bodies to be well rested as they enter the classroom.
- Pray for cooperative attitudes.
“Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.”
Philippians 2:3-4
Generally speaking, being productive requires working well with others. No man is an island, and God put us here on earth to cooperate with others. We see this pictured both in the family and church, so naturally, it spills over into the classroom. God intended for us learn how to work with others, which is why developing good social and conversational skills are important. Life is tough, but it is tougher for those who have trouble making friends or relating to others. Pray for children to come with cooperative attitudes as they enter the classroom.
- Pray for obedient hearts.
“Children obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.”
Ephesians 6:1
Respect for authority is at the heart of obedience. To disobey is to disrespect authority. As human beings created in God’s image, we are under His authority. But, we are subject to other authoritarian structures as well, such as parental, law enforcement, and school administration, etc. Students need to understand authority and that respecting a teacher’s authority is not only the right thing to do, it’s the God-honoring thing to do. Additionally, every choice in life has consequences, whether good or bad, and some consequences can follow us the rest of our life. Obedience embraces authority while disobedience evades it. Pray for children to come with obedient hearts as they enter the classroom.
Contributed by Pastor Brett Marlowe. Read more from Brett on www.brettmarlowe.com
