Teacher Training

Transferring DNA

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us” (Hebrews 12:1).

•  What kinds of things hinder you from teaching with perseverance?

• Think about the names and faces of some people in your “cloud of witnesses.” What do you want them to witness?

All living things are filled with cells that grow and multiply. And it’s the DNA inside those cells that determines the characteristics and structure of the living things. When the DNA is healthy, the organism is healthy. When the DNA is damaged, there can be some health or structure problems.

We are all cells in Christ’s body. And we carry important DNA to transfer to the younger growing cells—our children. We have to do what we can to keep that DNA healthy and nourished.

However, when we hold on to sinful habits our spiritual DNA is damaged. Sin mars our character, and if we aren’t careful we’ll transfer our flaws onto the children we work with. For example, if you have an anemic prayer life, it’s impossible to transfer a vital prayer life into your students. If you harbor bitterness against someone, you can’t transfer the “joy DNA” to your students. That’s frightening.

But it’s a great thing that God is forgiving. He invites us to confess our sin and promises to heal our brokenness so he can create a new work in us. As God repairs our spiritual DNA, we become more effective teachers. We have a higher-quality spiritual DNA to transfer.

We don’t need to be perfect people in order to teach. If that were the case, there would be no teachers. But we do need to be people who are quick to turn to God with our shortcomings.

Hebrews 12:1 suggests that the spiritual health of your children will grow with these things in your life:

• You live your life as if children are watching. Because they are. They’re the “cloud of witnesses.” There’s no such thing as privately struggling. The quality of our spiritual DNA matters to everyone around us.

• You quickly confess your sins to God and set your heart on following him. This is where you “throw off everything that hinders.”

• You follow Christ in every aspect of your life. By doing this you strengthen your own DNA so you can transfer healthy DNA to your children. This is how we “run with perseverance.”

Take this training deeper as you think over these questions:

• Why do we tend to think that our struggles with sin are a “private matter”?

• How can you make repentance a more regular part of your friendship with God?

• What parts of your friendship with God would you like to transfer to your children?

Lord, I need to confess…

Lord, help me build these spiritual qualities in the lives of the children I work with:

            God has promised to complete the good work that he began in you! He knows your limitations, and provides the grace to make up the difference!

Make a list of the parts of your friendship with Jesus that you would like to pass on to your students. Next, list the parts of your friendship with Jesus that need to be repaired before you can pass them on.

Take a moment in prayer to thank God for how he has helped you mature in your friendship with Jesus. Talk to God about what it would look like to repair your spiritual DNA and what you will do to make that happen. Ask God to continue to transform you with Jesus’ spiritual DNA.