You may have come to this site for help with Bible teaching skills. That’s important, but so is a teacher’s heart, specifically one that beats with the love of God.
Why a Heart Beating with God’s Love is Essential
Without love what we do is empty, not as eternally impacting as we might hope.
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. (1 Cor. 13:1-3)
Students will appreciate good teaching but will long remember teachers whose hearts beat with God’s love. So, “over all these virtues put on love” (Col. 3:14).
How a Heart that Beats with the Love of God is Evidenced
The characteristics of love listed in 1 Corinthians 13 will be demonstrated in practical ways toward students when our hearts beat with His love. These traits will replace natural tendencies to react in self-protective or self-serving ways when confronted with trying moments in the life of a teacher. Check out the Does your heart beat with the love of God for your students? Worksheet that uses 1 Corinthians 13 to help you answer that question.
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. (1 Cor. 13:4-8a)
What It Takes to Acquire This Kind of Heart
Remember that we can only love “because He first loved us” (1 Jn. 4:19). So, our first step to acquiring this kind of heart is to “know and rely on the love God has for us” (1 Jn. 4:16).
To love as our Lord loves doesn’t come naturally. We need supernatural help to love our students, especially those who seem unlovable. Let’s yield all of who we are to His Spirit to work in and through us, knowing that “the fruit of the Spirit is love …” (Gal. 5:22).