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Some Of The Christian Teacher’s Needs
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No man or woman is fitted for the work of teaching who is fretful,
impatient, arbitrary, or dictatorial. These traits of character work
great harm in the schoolroom. Let not the teacher excuse his wrong
course by the plea that he has naturally a hasty temper or that he has
erred ignorantly. In his position he stands where ignorance or lack
of self-control is sin. He is writing upon souls lessons that will be
carried all through life, and he should train himself never to speak a
hasty word, never to lose his self-control.
Above all others, he who has the training of the youth should
beware of indulging a morose or gloomy disposition; for this will cut
him off from sympathy with his students, and without sympathy he
cannot hope to benefit them. We should not darken our own path or
the path of others with the shadow of our trials. We have a Saviour
to whom to go, into whose pitying ear we may pour every complaint.
We may leave all our cares and burdens with Him, and then our labor
will not seem hard or our trials severe.
“Rejoice in the Lord alway,” the apostle Paul exhorts, “and again
I say, Rejoice.”
Philippians 4:4
. Whatever your disposition may be,
God is able so to mold it that it will be sweet and Christlike. By
the exercise of living faith you can separate from everything that is
not in accordance with the mind of God, and thus bring heaven into
your life here below. Doing this, you will have sunshine at every
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step. When the enemy seeks to enshroud the soul with darkness,
sing faith and talk faith, and you will find that you have sung and
talked yourself into the light.
We open to ourselves the floodgates of woe or joy. If we permit
our thoughts to be engrossed with the troubles and trifles of earth,
our hearts will be filled with unbelief, gloom, and foreboding. If
we set our affections on things above, the voice of Jesus will speak
to our hearts, murmuring will cease, and vexing thoughts will be
lost in praise to our Redeemer. Those who dwell upon God’s great
mercies and are not unmindful of His lesser gifts, will put on the
girdle of gladness and make melody in their hearts to the Lord. Then
they will enjoy their work. They will stand firm at their post of duty.
They will have a placid temper, a trustful spirit.