Christians Have the Best Answers

On public education and why I made a career change.

Photo Credit: Unsplash

I entered college (23 years ago!) an education major. At first, I focused on elementary education because I loved kids. My high school work study program partnered with a local elementary school for classroom exposure, so I spent two class periods a week in a 4^th grade classroom. Then my freshman English teacher pulled me aside one day and said, “have you ever considered writing?” From that point on, I was an English major. Education was always in the back of my mind, but I held onto that seed planted by my professor—maybe I can do this.

Over the past year I’ve been in a professional transition. I’ve used the year to spend time with my family, write more frequently, go to counseling, and pray about what’s next.

One path I’ve considered is going back to the classroom. In one sense, I’ve spent the last twenty years in some form of education—whether it’s teaching in a church setting, writing curriculum for publication or the church, or that stint I did in a Christian school before I had the twins. I figured now is the best time to consider a career pivot, and as one friend said, “you have the teaching widget, you’re just using it in another space.”

The last few weeks, I’ve spent time in orientation preparing for the upcoming school year. Yesterday, I was in my classroom teaching high school English—and today I get my Journalism and Yearbook students. Like any new thing, I’m nervous. But excitement is the prevailing emotion. I’ve long been an advocate for public education and the good that comes from it. I’m the product of public education. My children attend public schools. And now I’m a public educator. I believe education is a basic human right. What sets us apart from other undeveloped nations is that in America, everyone has a right to education.

For the Christian, when we enter any public space, whether that is the classroom, courtroom, hospital, or our workplace, we might accomplish the same work as our co-workers, but we view it differently.

A teacher treats every student with dignity and respect, regardless how he or she treats us because every person is created in the image of God. An account executive handles every transaction with integrity because he knows God sees every email, purchase order, and quote. A surgeon does no harm, not because she signed an oath, but because her hands are tools in the hands of the Great Physician.

Christians in the workplace are the Great Commission going forward, not because they evangelize every chance they get (though they should be always ready to give an answer for the hope that is in them). They are the Great Commission going forward because when they do good work, they show the watching world what God is like. Their words about Christ are backed by their Christ-like actions.

As I took the path to licensure this past spring, I had to take the Praxis (which required a lot of study time to remember everything I learned in college). I also had to undergo many hours of professional development training on everything from the Science of Reading to mandatory reporting laws on child maltreatment.

All I could think about as I watched the videos and took the tests is how Christians have the best answers for the questions the world raises.

We should be the best at reporting abuse and maltreatment.

The best at engaging students in a classroom.

The best at ethics.

The best at working hard.

The best at leading

We need more Christians in the marketplace, not less. And I’m praying today, as I’ve been praying every day for the last few weeks, that I would be one small part of being the aroma of Christ where I’m at.