My mother always called herself the “mean lady” in the neighborhood. We never seemed to get away with much as she was always watching us from a distance to make sure my brothers and I behaved as we were supposed to. I remember specifically one time we were up to no good, and when I looked up … there was mom, both hands on her hips, and we knew we were going to spend some time paying our disciplinary dues.

At the time, it wasn’t a pleasant experience. But now I can laugh and recognize that my mom was loving us through discipline. In a family, love can take on so many different forms. It’s serving one another by cleaning up or cooking meals. It’s a kind word of encouragement when we are feeling down. It’s enjoying one another’s company by snuggling on the couch and falling asleep on a movie night. Love in a family is powerful.

In a Christ-centered family, that love is built on the truths of Scripture – a reflection of the love with no conditions that God offers us freely through Jesus. In a school or classroom, it is no different. You might be referred to as the mean teacher, and the kids might straighten up when they see you walk into the room, but they do that because of the love you show to them, not fear. Whether consciously or subconsciously, they know that God’s love guides you. How? Because you model it and talk about it.

Today’s verses give us some encouragement. “Instead, we were like young children among you. Just as a nursing mother cares for her children, so we cared for you. Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well.” Notice the connection to relationships. They shared spiritual love, but they also shared their lives. They had genuine and meaningful relationships with one another.

That is the type of connection that teachers get to have with students. They build trusting relationships on the foundation of Christ’s work. They open their lives to their students and share the gospel at every turn. Those relationships build a high level of trust.

And here’s the kicker. Trust provides opportunity. There may be students in your classrooms today or your classrooms of old who are not continuing to stay connected to God’s Word. Their connection to the lifeline of Scripture may slowly be getting choked off. And that has eternal consequences.

As you walk into your classroom or school today to faces of God’s children that may be sleepy, angry, overflowing with energy, or just there, may God strengthen your ability to build relationships. May God help you to use those relationships to encourage connection to the beautiful Gospel message, because that message motivates us for today and secures our future in heaven.