"Would you be available to sub today?" It was a text message early one morning recently from the principal of the school where I used to teach. I arrived at the school to find that my assignment included three different grade levels — 6/7, 8/9, and 10 — for both English and Social Studies. Gulp. Managing teenagers was a bit out of my comfort zone. In the first class period, nine big, grade-ten boys entered the room noisily and fitted themselves into their seats. I tried to make sense of the lesson plan. A teacher's aide appeared at my elbow. She was used to the dynamics of the class, and soon, she had three boys reading aloud parts in the Shakespeare play, Romeo and Juliet. Next class: English 8/9. Another teacher's aide offered to set up the laptop to project a film onto the whiteboard for the students' short story study that day. The 6/7 class was calm, and the students got down to work reasonably quickly with their assignment. Still, it was nice to have yet another teacher's aide checking in on me off and on. She knew the students and often helped them with their work, so she knew whether certain behaviours were acceptable or not.

After school, I asked the principal, "Are you sure you want me to come back tomorrow? It seemed as though the teacher's aides did most of the work today."

"That's what they're here for, to help you out. It stands to reason that they know the daily routine, and more about the subjects than you do, since they're here with the teachers every day," he encouraged.

That day, I had new insight into my role as a substitute teacher. Teachers, substitute teachers, and teacher's aides all had the same goal: the smooth functioning of the school day. Humbly, I had to accept that I couldn't do or know everything.

Just as the teaching staff in the school is a collective working together, so is the body of Christ. The apostle Paul likens it to a physical body:

1 Corinthians 12:18-21 – But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it. How strange a body would be if it had only one part! Yes, there are many parts, but only one body. The eye can never say to the hand, "I don't need you." The head can't say to the feet, "I don't need you." (NLT)

We do need each other. That day, the teacher's aides helped me, but the previous day, I had been helping teachers with their various tasks, wherever there was a need.

Galatians 6:2 – Share each other's burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. (NLT)

None of us can claim not to need help from others. Let's humbly receive help, as well as helping others, sharing their burden when the opportunity arises.

Prayer: Lord, help us to receive help humbly from others, and not to think that we have to do everything alone. Likewise, help us to be sensitive to the needs of others, and to step in to care for their needs as well. Amen.

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About the author:

Alice Burnett <terrencera.burnett@gmail.com>
Red Deer, Alberta, Canada
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