Casualties of War

Day 5, More Than a Number

For you equipped me with strength for the battle; you made those who rise against me sink under me. Psalm 18:39 (ESV)

The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Washington, D.C. opened my eyes to the harshness of war in a way that this thirteen-year-old girl had never known. Our tour guide shared stories of people who lost loved ones on the battlefield but never got to bury them and say goodbye. Story after story. Life after life. He shared that these families came to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and honored their lost loved ones. Thousands of men and women, lost in combat, family hoping they were alive, but never knowing for sure. Years of waiting, finally ending with memorial services and gravestones with no body underneath.

              Beyond the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier were thousands of crosses, each one with the name of a person who died in combat. I teared up thinking about the bravery and commitment of these soldiers who fought for our nation. I imagined families with empty seats at holidays and broken hearts forever. The casualties of war.

              Now as an adult, I realize the war is bigger than just military battles, terrorist attacks, and multi-country skirmishes. We are in a war every day of our lives, and even more so as teachers.

              Every day, we walk into a school filled with students from all types of homes. Rich, poor, middle class. Some kids are cherished, others are abused. Some families are functional; others are a wreck. Some parents are safe; others are hostile. We make our way through a sea of unknown hurts as we walk down the halls and into our classes. Grief. Loss. Abuse. Addiction. Incarceration. Fear. Rebellion. Rejection. Intimidation. These kids carry them like the Scarlett Letter.

              We tell them to sit down and stop talking so we can teach them things they need to learn in life. But who’s teaching them how to stand up to the bully at the bus stop that keeps stealing their lunch? Or teaching them how to save their money so they can get out of an abusive home and have a nest egg for their future? Or teaching them proper hygiene and self-care when the house reeks of animal feces and their clothes are never clean?

              We tell them to keep their hands to themselves and be mindful of their words so they can learn to be better human beings. But they need those hands to protect their younger siblings from their drunken father, and they need those words to protect their cowering mother.

              We tell our kids to treat the classroom with respect, but they have never and will never have anything nice, so how can they know how to treat something well? When they are treated like dirt long enough, they become dirt.

              Every day, we are in a war for the lives of our students. Sometimes our eyes are wide enough to see; but other times, we miss their cries for help. And we lose them. A casualty of war.

              Like the National Cemetery, we often see loss after loss. There will be casualties, but they don’t have to happen on our watch. Let us pray for open hearts. Open eyes. Open hands. And open arms. Let us diligently seek the ones that might be lost to these cruelties of this dark world. And let’s protect these kids while we can; and stop the casualties of war.

Do the Heart Work

1.      Have you ever considered yourself as being in the heat of a battle as an educator? As a Christian?

2.      Which students do you want to reach but don’t know how?

3.      How can God help prepare you for the daily battle you are entering as a teacher?

Digging Deeper

As educators, we are in a battle for the lives of our kids. And as believers, we are in a battle for their souls. The enemies are fierce and they come from all sides. Some are seen; others are unseen. We aren’t just teachers; we are warriors. And like the people of Israel, we must ready ourselves for battle on the daily.

Proclaim this among the nations: Consecrate for war; stir up the mighty men. Let all the men of war draw near; let them come up. Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears; let the weak say, “I am a warrior.” Hasten and come, all you surrounding nations, and gather yourselves there. Bring down your warriors, O Lord.  Let the nations stir themselves up and come up to the Valley of Jehoshaphat; for there I will sit to judge all the surrounding nations. Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Go in, tread, for the winepress is full. The vats overflow, for their evil is great. Multitudes, multitudes, in the valley of decision! For the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision. The sun and the moon are darkened, and the stars withdraw their shining. The Lord roars from Zion, and utters his voice from Jerusalem, and the heavens and the earth quake. But the Lord is a refuge to his people, a stronghold to the people of Israel. Joel 3:9-16 (ESV)

If You Have Spare Time

              Make a list of the enemies that are attacking our kids. Think about each one. Make a list of the battle tactics that you can practice in your classroom to help defeat these enemies. You are much more than an educator. You are a warrior for the souls of these children.