On Friday in my middle school science class we were learning all about seeds. I know it sounds so interesting to everyone and you are ready to hear a lesson on seeds from me. Just kidding. I just want to tell you a small but significant conversation I had with my 7th graders about the mustard seed. If you don’t know this, the mustard seed is one of the smallest plant seeds. But as significantly small the seed (1-2 mm in diameter), it grows into one of the biggest plants, up to 10-15 feet tall. Jesus uses this in a parable to teach his disciples and the crowd gathered around him.
31 He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. 32 Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.” Matthew 13:31-32
My students couldn’t believe that such a small seed could grow to be so big. As I was explaining the significance of the seed, I also discussed with them about how BIG God really is. If he could put that much care and love into a tiny mustard see and make it grow so big, how much more does God love each one of us!
In Luke 12:7, Jesus says, “Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.”
My students had a very hard time comprehending this. When God is shared with them, God is not someone who loves them unconditionally and they can have a relationship with. I went a step further to try and get them to understand this concept of how special each one of them really is. We talked about how God is so big, we are so small and there are so many people on earth, and yet God knows how many hairs are on our head, who we were before we were formed in the womb (Jeremiah 1:5), and what we are going to say before we say it (Psalm 139:4). How special we are! At the end of our conversation in class, all the kids were thrilled and had huge smiles on their faces.
God Moment: Moments like this one in my class are why I am here. God is revealing that I am a teacher and that I can show love to my students through the subjects that I teach. I am making a different in my students. Praise God!
Word/Phrase of the Day:
Li cho: It’s hot (this is what we tell the workers when we are referring to a poopy diaper with one of our babies...haha)
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