“Who, then, is a faithful and wise servant?

It is the one that his [her] master has

placed in charge of the other servants to give them their food at the proper time.”
(Matthew 24:45 GNT)
The Master’s Degree
There are academic degrees we can earn that are due to our own efforts at meeting certain man-
made standards and then there are degrees that the Great Physician, Jesus, gives us by grace as we
strive for His standards. Amy is one of those educators whom Jesus has given a degree higher than any
institute of human learning could ever give. Amy is one who has received her Master’s degree from her
Master, Jesus, and she is freely passing it on to others at her school.
For the last fifteen years God has called Amy to serve “the least of them” in four different
educational institutions. She has served as a drill instructor, transportation attendant, teaching assistant in
special education programs, and now serves as an in school suspension instructor in a middle school in a rural school district. She has
made a career of serving the least behaviorally and academically abled youth. She knows the last shall be first and the first shall be
last. She knows that when she serves these student populations she is truly serving Jesus. She is His heart and His hands on earth
doing this job for Him.
The scripture which best exemplifies Amy is, “Feed my lambs and feed my sheep.” (John 21:17) Over the last five years
Amy has been doing just that at her school where she sponsors the youth Bible club called the JAYS – Jesus At Your Side. Under
Amy’s sponsorship the middle school Bible club grew, in five years, from seven participants to one hundred forty-five. Amy says her
greatest reward related to sponsoring the club is, “I love to see the students walking out what has been taught. Many of the students
are upset when they have to miss a club meeting.” These things remind Amy that the students have become hungry for God’s word
and gathering in His name. That is truly MISSION ACCOMPLISHED. Amy truly is a pioneer missionary in the public schools, a
neglected harvest field in our nation.
In addition to sponsoring the youth Bible club which meets before school, she also facilitates a staff share, care, and prayer
group made up of approximately eight staff members who meet during their lunch hour once a week for prayer and Bible study. Amy’s
constant encouragement and diligence in committing to gathering in Jesus’ name keeps the group together and focused. Amy says of
this group of educators, “Hearing praise reports from the group members and watching their faith grow is most rewarding. I have loved
watching several of them grow into a strong deep faith and trust in God to help them handle any situation in and beyond school.”
Amy has done all of this while honoring the laws separating church and state. The youth choose to come before school starts
for their Bible club and have their parents’ permission. Government documents from the United States Secretary of Education outline
that teachers may engage in religious speech and activities during off duty hours. The Supreme Court has ruled that classroom
teachers in elementary schools may facilitate after school or before school Bible clubs at their schools.
One key to Amy’s success has been to simply give Jesus time in her professional life to meet with other believers, both
students and staff, in His name. For any relationship to mature, whether with God or others, time must be spent with them. Amy has
given God time in her professional work environment in a culture in which most educators believe they are time starved and have no
time for Him; they believe they are too busy and have many more higher priorities than Him. Amy not only finds the time to give Jesus
in her professional life, but also helps draw many others into this same life giving relationship as well.
One concern in Amy’s heart and mind once was that, although she had received her associate’s degree, she had never
become a state certified teacher or completed her bachelor’s degree. As she recently accepted a Teacher of the Year Award from the
local Christian Educators’ Association, she noticed the word “Teacher” engraved on the beautiful trophy she received. As she saw and
read it she realized that, in God’s eyes and in His heart, she truly was a “teacher” and that is what truly mattered. He had chosen for
her to skip her bachelor’s degree and given her His Master’s degree instead because of the great love He had for her.
Do you have time in your professional life for Jesus? He is standing in your classroom and your office with arms open wide.
Do you see Him? Will you receive His embrace? Are you His missionary at His school? Do you really want your Master’s degree from
Jesus? Ask Him for it if you do.

Prayer: Jesus, we want your Master’s degree of love and obedience in our professional lives.
Reflection: Honestly answer the questions in the last paragraph of this devotional.
Getting Real: Give God time in your professional life.

CLASSROOM LIGHTHOUSE SERIES: THE MASTER’S DEGREE (For info or prayer contact ceaihouston@sbcglobal.net.) WEEK 9
“Picture From A Young Graduation Woman” photo by David Castillo Dominici at freedigitalphotos.net