A thought hit me as I was pulling this devotion together. Kids are freer to be themselves when they feel safe. They sleep solidly when they feel safe. And they relax when they feel safe. Maybe the reason that kid always sleeps in your class is because he knows you’ll love him no matter what. Or maybe that kid who drives you nuts behaves that way because he is comfortable in his skin and safe in your class. Food for thought. Safety is an attractive comfort.

In our classrooms, while consequences matter, so do mercy and compassion. When we read the scripture today, think about how mercy and compassion accompany boundaries and consequences and seek to apply them into your daily interactions with students.           

 How we interact with our students matters. Empty threats, whole group punishments, and inconsistent rewards do not equal trust. Constantly changing our minds or vacillating on our yeses and noes creates chaos inside our classrooms. Like my professor, we should be respected by our students and trusted to speak kind, encouraging, and productive words. Our students need to know that we mean what we say and never question that reality.

  One of the characteristics I love about God is his consistency. No matter how far I run or how much I mess up, he’s always there wooing me back to his heart. His love is unchanging and his words are always true. I feel safe with him because I never have to wonder about his love. He can never love me any more or any less than he does right now.

Our homes are the same. Creating places for items and processes for trash, dishes, and laundry help the house run smoothly. Schedules for meals, bedtimes, and wakeups help with consistency too. Procedures in the home provide security, comfort, and safety.

The same is true in our classrooms. Safety and love go hand in hand. One of the ways to create safety in the classroom is consistency. Teachers who are regularly in attendance and arrive on time provide comfort for students. Rules and discipline that are practiced fairly show consistency. Our speech and words impact the feeling of safety as do our actions or inactions. Having set procedures, routines, and jobs also adds to the safety of a classroom.