Need Does Not Equal Failure
Have you ever had to ask for help with something? If you are human, the answer is yes, and you have had to do it often! We come into this world helpless with a few people that care for us and give us the things we need. From our parents and caretakers, we get food, clothing, shelter, and of course, love.
We come into this world and learn that certain actions get us what we need. The cry of a newborn tells mom and dad that attention is needed. As we get older, we learn to talk and we are better able to ask for things we need, and for things we want! All the way up until the time that we turn 18 and become “adults” in the eyes of this world, we know that it is ok to ask for help if we need it and that nobody should look down on us for that.
So what happens when we become adults? The expectations seem to change completely, and we are expected to fend for ourselves. There is a sense of needing to be independent, and in most people’s minds, that equals the sentiment that we should not have to ask for help. Nobody wants to come off as needy. We don’t want to show others the reality of our situation because of our own feelings of embarrassment or not wanting to come across as incapable of handling things for ourselves. In short, this world tells us that need equals failure; if you need to ask for help, you have failed in some way.
“But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.” Philippians 3:20–21.
As Christians and as ministry-led educators, we know that our faith in God comes with an understanding that this world is only our temporary home and that what comes after it is much longer and permanent than this life we are living. We should look at our circumstances with a biblical worldview and from a Christian perspective.
While I cannot address all the needs we have in our lives, I can speak to the needs that I have personally seen arise in classrooms as our schools have been forced into a virtual world that most people were not prepared to venture into, let alone thrive in. Educators have always been ready to face challenges that arise in the classroom, but never in our lifetime has there been an imposed shift that completely changed the way we teach and learn.
This type of change is sure to cause confusion, doubt, panic, fear, delay, frustration, and sometimes hopelessness. If you have experienced any of those feelings because of the Covid-19 pandemic, rest assured, you are not alone. If you are resting in any of those feelings, choose right now to move beyond them and see that those feelings are not from God, they are from this world. There are many verses that tell us that God is with us (Joshua 1:9; Psalm 145: 18–19; Exodus 33:14 among others), rest in those verses.
Once you are grounded in that truth, look around you to see how you can ask your community for help. We are not meant to travel this life on our own, and we know that God created us to live in community.
“Here’s the deal: God didn’t intend for us to live in isolation. He specifically designed us to crave — and thrive in — relationship with others. We’re our best selves when we’re experiencing life’s highs and lows with others. That means everyone, whether you’re single or married, needs community.”- Dave Ramsey.
If you are a ministry-led teacher looking for a community to support you and your desire to serve God’s kingdom by teaching at a private school, there are resources available to you. Using a platform such as Beyond Measure (gobeyondmeasure.org) will allow you to list your classroom project ideas and classroom needs and send out not only to your close community of parents and school supporters but also to everyone on the site looking to support private school teachers and classrooms like yours.
Remember that need does not equal failure and that if you are in a position where you are asking your community to help and support you, you are doing what God created you to do. We come into this world needing help from others, and even though we become more independent as we get older, we will always be in a place where we cannot do everything by ourselves. We must first depend on God for His grace and mercy, then we must find our community and lean on them to walk alongside us in our journey.
Whether you are asking for resources to help you with distance learning or for more books for your classroom, there are people out there that want to help support you. When you have what you need to teach in a private school, the impact can be widespread. You will be fulfilled, your students will receive a high-quality education, your community will be grateful, and the Kingdom of God will be blessed.
About the Author
Mrs. Ingrid Lake is the Co-founder and President of Beyond Measure. She has an incredible heart for private Christian education with a masters and teaching credential from a private university.
Ingrid has held various private school roles including being a volunteer, school clerk, substitute teacher, fundraiser coordinator, Secondary Principal, Student Council Advisor, PTF member and Board Member. Learn more about Ingrid and Beyond Measure at https://www.facebook.com/GoBeyondMeasure.org.
