(this article appeared in the Smithville Herald in 2010)
I’ve never considered myself a “respecter of persons”. This statement doesn’t mean I don’t have respect for people, it simply means I don’t respect people differently based on their position in life. I’m sure most of us feel this way regarding the people we encounter in our lives. We all understand that every person deserves the same respect and attention, regardless of their job, economic situation, race or talents.
However, something that I feel is often overlooked is the work that teachers and preachers do for us. Don’t get me wrong, I believe we all have admiration and appreciation for these civil serving folks. But the part I fear we miss on a consistent and regular basis is this: Verbalizing the good they do and thanking them.
Let me explain: When a policeman saves us, we thank him (or her) profusely. When a fireman puts out a fire, we shower that person with praise.
Teachers and preachers though, guess what they get? Unfortunately, they hear a lot of the bad, the negative, the problems and the complaints. So, if we are not thanking them and letting them know the positive impact they are having in our lives, we are being a “respecter of persons”, but in the opposite way. Here’s my point: We assume they are above the pain. Heck, she’s a teacher, she understands the world. My goodness a preacher doesn’t need any uplifting; she reads the bible every day!
These wonderful people bear our burdens daily. If we think they are above being told “hey, you’ve made a difference in our lives”, then we are treating them as superhuman beings that don’t break or ever feel discouraged. We are mistaken to assume they don’t need encouragement to keep going day to day.
So many times I’ve told one of our pastors what has been happening in my life, as a direct result of something they have taught me. I’m not talking about the slap on the back “good sermon” they get every Sunday, I’m talking about “hey, this was a life changing moment for me, because you took a chance and put yourself out there.” Often I hear,” thank you, we never get to hear the end of the story, we appreciate you letting us know what we said worked out for you.”
Or when I told a teacher how much my son loves her class, I heard back, “Thanks, we don’t always hear positive feedback.”
If your child comes home and talks about school and how much fun it is, tell the teacher. If your child is learning more than you ever thought possible, share it with the person that spends 8 hours a day with your child. Are you aware that most teachers work on their days off? Or spend their own money on the classrooms?
If you heard the pain and suffering that pastors hear on a daily basis, you would wonder how in the world they get up there each week sharing the good news. We (non-pastors) sometimes hear of a person that lost a loved one, or got a divorce or lost their job. A pastor hears about this stuff daily, many times on their days off.
We have to build them all back up. They frequently feel drained. We can’t assume they don’t need to hear the good that they inspire in us and our children every week.
The people in these two professions aren’t in it for the money. They do it because they believe in what they are doing. These often thankless jobs are shaping our future in many different ways.
If you feel the spark of pride in your child’s work, send a quick note to the teacher and let them know. If you make a life changing decision after a poignant sermon, make sure to tell your pastor after you’ve made the change.
I know from experience that a word of encouragement can at the most, change a life, and at the very least, motivate someone to keep moving forward. Respect the job that our teachers and preachers do for us.
I’ve never considered myself a “respecter of persons”. This statement doesn’t mean I don’t have respect for people, it simply means I don’t respect people differently based on their position in life. I’m sure most of us feel this way regarding the people we encounter in our lives. We all understand that every person deserves the same respect and attention, regardless of their job, economic situation, race or talents.
However, something that I feel is often overlooked is the work that teachers and preachers do for us. Don’t get me wrong, I believe we all have admiration and appreciation for these civil serving folks. But the part I fear we miss on a consistent and regular basis is this: Verbalizing the good they do and thanking them.
Let me explain: When a policeman saves us, we thank him (or her) profusely. When a fireman puts out a fire, we shower that person with praise.
Teachers and preachers though, guess what they get? Unfortunately, they hear a lot of the bad, the negative, the problems and the complaints. So, if we are not thanking them and letting them know the positive impact they are having in our lives, we are being a “respecter of persons”, but in the opposite way. Here’s my point: We assume they are above the pain. Heck, she’s a teacher, she understands the world. My goodness a preacher doesn’t need any uplifting; she reads the bible every day!
These wonderful people bear our burdens daily. If we think they are above being told “hey, you’ve made a difference in our lives”, then we are treating them as superhuman beings that don’t break or ever feel discouraged. We are mistaken to assume they don’t need encouragement to keep going day to day.
So many times I’ve told one of our pastors what has been happening in my life, as a direct result of something they have taught me. I’m not talking about the slap on the back “good sermon” they get every Sunday, I’m talking about “hey, this was a life changing moment for me, because you took a chance and put yourself out there.” Often I hear,” thank you, we never get to hear the end of the story, we appreciate you letting us know what we said worked out for you.”
Or when I told a teacher how much my son loves her class, I heard back, “Thanks, we don’t always hear positive feedback.”
If your child comes home and talks about school and how much fun it is, tell the teacher. If your child is learning more than you ever thought possible, share it with the person that spends 8 hours a day with your child. Are you aware that most teachers work on their days off? Or spend their own money on the classrooms?
If you heard the pain and suffering that pastors hear on a daily basis, you would wonder how in the world they get up there each week sharing the good news. We (non-pastors) sometimes hear of a person that lost a loved one, or got a divorce or lost their job. A pastor hears about this stuff daily, many times on their days off.
We have to build them all back up. They frequently feel drained. We can’t assume they don’t need to hear the good that they inspire in us and our children every week.
The people in these two professions aren’t in it for the money. They do it because they believe in what they are doing. These often thankless jobs are shaping our future in many different ways.
If you feel the spark of pride in your child’s work, send a quick note to the teacher and let them know. If you make a life changing decision after a poignant sermon, make sure to tell your pastor after you’ve made the change.
I know from experience that a word of encouragement can at the most, change a life, and at the very least, motivate someone to keep moving forward. Respect the job that our teachers and preachers do for us.
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