As teachers, we need to do the right things, but our hearts need to be right as well. “All a man's ways seem right to him, but the Lord weighs the heart” (Prov. 21:2).
Let's consider some traits that ought to be in a teacher's heart.
Teachable Heart (attentive, listens, observes)
Enlightened Heart (wise, discerning)
Aligned Heart (walks in truth; trusts in God, not self)
Caring Heart (loves, compassionate)
Prov. 3:3; 1 Pet. 1:22
Humble Heart (not proud)
Earnest Heart (sincere)
Righteous Heart (pure, maintains integrity)
Steadfast (firmly established)
Ps. 57:7; 112:7
Remember, “a teacher's heart reflects the teacher.”
So, what's in your heart?
To answer that questions, start by praying something similar to the following verses:
Test me, O Lord, and try me, examine my heart and my mind. (Ps. 26:2)
Then get specific in your prayers about each of the heart conditions in the above acrostic, particularly in how it relates to your teaching. Ask:
• Do I have this kind of heart?
• Why do I need this kind of heart in teaching?
Then ask God to more fully develop this heart within you.
16 Replies to “Teacher Acrostic – What's in Your Heart?”
I really appreciate this…
David is an example of “a man after God's own heart”.
As teachers, we must do the same.
To God be the glory!
always remember these words…
What an amazing piece of information! This is truly great. I enjoyed reading it. It will be a great help to me. Because I am a Sunday School Teacher for the Youth. Thanks for publishing this piece of information
You are welcome, Maggie. I'm glad to read it has been helpful. What's in our heart is so important. When our hearts are what they should be, we will tend to do what we should do.
I am a new sunday school teacher. I love to teach, but at times I get nervous and forget my thoughts. Yet I know God has called me to do this. Thanks for the sound advice.
This is what i was looking for, to be what God wants me to be, and keep my mind always on his word ..thank you.
You are welcome, Michael. What you said about keeping your mind always on His Word reminds me of Colossians 3:16 — “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom …” God uses His Word in the process of making us into the kind of teacher who makes a difference. And, through His Word, we become “thoroughly equipped” (2 Tim. 3:16-17). “Thoroughly” has to include His work in our innermost being.
I continue to be amazed at the wealth of information you provide for Christians of all Ministries. The truly interested preacher, teacher, apostle, evangelist, pastor, etc. will find this a comprehensive one-stop and user friendly site. We really do not need to be dividing the word of God incorrectly if we accept and utilize the Ministry Gifts offered by God to us, through you and your team. May God continue to bless you richly as you equip the saints for ministry. LVFoster
I praise God for your good words about the site. I do pray He continues to use it in your life as well as many others to His glory.
Thanks for the divine insight, my prayers have been for God to change my attitude, heart, mind, spirit and perspective on teaching. I have had a desire to teach since third grade. I resigned from an career that paid 3x times the salary of a teacher in any given year. I pursued teaching and became employed as a public school teacher, taught the youth sunday school class and in the youth ministry. Then some negative experiences tainted my views of teaching. Glory to God for the many lives he has touched through mintools. The Teacher Acrostic will help me return to my first love.
I can't praise God enough for using this in your life. Negative experience certainly can have a disheartening effect on us but once we regain that perspective those same negative experiences are used by God to strengthen us and make us even better teachers. Keep yielding it all to Him!
I'll try to make this as short as possible. God called me in 1991. I was not searching for Him and I had no interest in Him. Since then I have wanted nothing but to serve Him in any way I can. After several years of study and several bad churches I was trying to find what my gift was and how I could be used. One day while busy and not really focused on the Lord I heard His voice say to me,”I have given you the greater gift of teaching”. I was rather surprised but accepted it. More time passed and my heart turned to those people that are being hurt and damaged, and left out in many churches of today. Wanting to teach them the truth of their relationship with Jesus. Jesus gave me the ministry name, the purpose of the ministry, and the focus. I was asked to start a small group of eight or ten and it went well for a time before Satan entered and destroyed the group which left me on my own and everyone hating me and my wife. I kept my great relationship with Jesus for the next 7 years but not doing any teaching. Hoping I would gain another opportunity. After this I went through several health problems that Jesus carried me through and wound up disabled. I hoped and prayed that this would allow me to do even more with my gift for God. That was 10yrs. ago and I have done nothing. God and I seem farther apart than ever and I don't know what I have done wrong. I still pray that some day I will regain my relationship and hopefully be able to serve again in some way. Hopefully, teaching. I am now 64yrs old and not much time left. Longing to teach those that are being left out of the Love, Grace, and Freedom we have in Christ Jesus. There is more to this but have taken too much of your time already. Sorry this is so long. Thanks for your time and your ear. Dale R.
Hello, Dale. It can be difficult after having bad experiences in the church. We can loose some of our joy and confidence in serving. However, we don't have to stay there. I obviously can't speak to your particular situation but can share the perspective that has helped me through the years:
1) I am serving as unto the Lord, not people. Yes, I serve people but first and foremost, this is about God.
2) I am ultimately accountable to God, not people. It might hurt if people turn against me but what God thinks is most important. If I can stand before God knowing I have done what pleases Him, I can be at peace. If I have been in the wrong, I can confess my sin and rest in His faithfulness to forgive. He will give me the strength and grace to learn from the situation and carry on.
3) I don't have to always understand why things happen the way they do but rather trust God's heart. When I can, I need to learn from what has happened but some things I will never understand. Look at the ending chapters of the book of Job in the Bible. I must believe the truth of Romans 8:28. God has been faithful in the past and He will continue to be.
5) I am not alone as God is with me. Having a constant awareness of God's presence in my life, I can find renewal and courage to begin again. His presence is where I find confidence.
No matter what bad past experiences, age, or disability, God can still use you. He can work the spiritual gifts He has given you in a variety of ways. Perhaps it won't be like it used to be but there are many ways the gift of teaching can be used. From what you have written, it has been some time since you have actively served Him but with God it is never too late.
Thanks for the textbook answer, but you missed the point. Thanks for at least responding. No response necessary. God Bless Dale
• hurts that need to be dealt with
• anger that needs to be resolved
• fears that need to be obliterated
• questions that need to be let go
Getting to that point takes perspective. Though the response I gave may sound “textbook-ish” to you, these are the truths we need to grab hold of not just with our heads but also with our hearts. There is no formula to prescribe for getting there.
If I am missing the point, I apologize. You wrote that “there is more to this” so perhaps I am not reading between the lines. Regardless, I am praying for you because God does know exactly the point you are making.