So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears. Acts 20:31
“The same amma said that a teacher ought to be a stranger to the desire for domination, vain-glory, and pride; one should not be able to fool him by flattery, nor blind him by gifts, nor conquer him by the stomach, nor dominate him by anger; but he should be patient, gentle, and humble as far as possible; he must be tested and without partisanship, full of concern, and a lover of souls.”
Amma Theodora, one of the great women of the desert, in The Sayings of the Desert Fathers, translated by Benedicta Ward (Kalamazoo: Cistercian, 1975) 83-84. The new header photo shows our cold snowy weather here in Denver.
Are you a teacher? If so, this meditation is for you.
The Apostle Paul said to be on guard. Why? Teachers are tested at every turn. Teachers must be full of concern for others rather than full of themselves. Their desires and motives must always be in check lest they be distracted by domination, vain-glory, pride, flattery, material gifts, or other stuff. Teachers must be lovers of souls who deeply care for people.
God, help all the teachers reading this today, myself included, to pass these proverbial tests and, in so doing, teach generously!