The Teaching Ministry of Jesus

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Two of my sisters and my mother were school teachers. I never sat in their classrooms, except to get help with High School biology from my sister Alyson, and to visit my sister Gretchen's kindergarten classroom. My mom stopped teaching in public schools because of our growing family, but did a lot of teaching with a household of five children​ as well as teaching Sunday School. Maybe it was because of them that I chose a degree in Geography education, although I never joined the ranks of public school teachers. I did teach religion classes to middle school students in Houston, but like my student teaching days, I quickly learned I'm not the best at classroom discipline.

​This month brings with it Teacher Appreciation Week (and the approach of summer break!) Besides my ongoing appreciation for all of Eli's teachers and all our public school teachers, staff, and administrators, I get to see our Trinity Day School teachers at work with our pre-K and younger students day after day. What I ​w​itness in teachers is a fulfillment of part of our church mission: to represent Christ to the world. Jesus was called a rabbi, a teacher in his day. His regular students ​were called disciples, but he taught the crowds who would gather occasionally, as well as the religious and political leaders in his time. Those of us who take on the discipline of learning from him, who are so bold to call ourselves Christ-ians still learn from his recorded teachings as well as learning from the Holy Spirit, who often teaches us through community. Today's teachers, in the public schools ​a​nd in private schools​, show up for their students, use their full ability of patience, kindness, gentleness, and most of all love; these are some of the fruits of the Holy Spirit. 


I think the most powerful way to pass on the teachings of Jesus is by example, and teachers daily live out his teachings. I know they aren't perfect​;​ being an educator is challenging on many levels. Jesus himself seems to have lost his temper with those arrogant greedy money changers who were looking for ways to siphon money away from people who came to learn at the temple when he overturned the tables of the money changers. ​I​ suppose there will always be those who take advantage of others​,​ and always be a need to advocate for the needs of educators. I know our administrators, school board, and other local leaders tactfully work to advocate for funding ​of our public schools, and we at Trinity ​D​ay School support our school ministry ​​through fundraisers, so that we can keep tuition as low as possible. 

This teacher appreciation week, ​w​e are reminded to show our appreciation ​to school staff and teachers directly, but don't forget to show your appreciation and support public education when you voice your votes, and ​to support school fundraisers when ​y​ou are able. We do well to entrust our children to these amazing teachers who show up day by day for our children. In my view, they continue the teaching ministry of Jesus, who said, "let the little children come to me." He taught us that when we care for those we consider the "least" among us, we are caring for Jesus himself. Thank you teachers, and thank you Port Aransas for supporting our schools!


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The Rev. J. James Derkits
Rector, Trinity by the Sea
Port Aransas, TX

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