Take A Break

When I returned to teaching twelve years ago, I recognized that one of the benefits to teaching were the breaks that we receive.  I’ve only had a Fall Break for the last five years thanks to my principal asking us if we wanted a week in October and one week for Spring Break instead of two.  Since I have begun teaching, I know what it is like to go from Labor Day to Veteran’s Day without a break.  It is then that I realized that the career of teaching has it Biblically correct, and all the other careers can learn from us.

Jesus took time to himself.  In my own reading of the Bible, I have discovered that Jesus went by himself to pray.  He didn’t bring his disciples.  He took a break from everyone and everything.  Our physical bodies need us to do that.  I have worked with workaholics, especially in the church, and have observed them crumble when stressful times come because they are not prepared.  Our minds get tired.  Our bodies get weak.  Sickness comes upon us.  We need a break.  In the field of education, we get them and they are much needed. 

The Fall Break was created for the teachers.  It was not created for the students, but I noticed that they were becoming weary too.  God took a day off from his creation.  God created us and we are not God; therefore we need to take time off from our work and just rest.  Some of us need to take a break from social media, political ranting, sinful activities, and even church activities that are making us weak and sick in various ways.

Before I went back to teaching, I used to think it was easy to have a job where you had so many breaks.  I didn’t realize how much time I had off when I worked my own hours in youth ministry.  I didn’t work with thirty teenagers every day for eight hours.  I had breaks from students and adults.  Teaching goes beyond the classroom, and can become a career with many workaholics.  Being a workaholic brings money, but money does not make us stronger.  It can make us weaker in many ways. 

When I worked with workaholics and when I became one, they would guilt trip those around them that they were lazy and did not understand that God’s work is never done.  That’s true, but God has a more workers than just them, so allow others to work too.  When we take a break, we allow others to succeed.  We allow others to use their gifts.  Jesus called us to make disciples.  He didn’t call us to save people because only Jesus can save.  So, take some time off from your work or your calling or your political ranting, and take a deep breath and enjoy the beauty of the world that God created for you to enjoy.  You never know what you may discover about you and the world around you.