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The Pedagogy of Love

The Pedagogy of Love

The Pedagogy of Love.

(1 Corinthians 12:31-14:1 for Home, School and Church Communities)

Even as you seek the higher gifts, I will now show you the most excellent way: If we speak with eloquence, or even in the very language of heaven, but have no love, we are no better than screeching playground whistles or creaking classroom doors;

If we are able to understand the deep mysteries of God and the universe, or hold in our minds all human knowledge, or if we become miracle-working spiritual giants, but are empty of love, we amount to nothing at all;

If we minister to the needy in school-wide service projects, even to the point of sacrificing our very lives, but are without love, we achieve precisely nothing;

So despite our gifted intellects, our generous works of charity, our spiritual pedigree, or our standing in the academic world, we remain utterly bankrupt without love. We say nothing, we accomplish nothing, we know nothing, we are nothing, without love.

Love takes the ego out of education, for a school of love doesn’t run on the fuel of ambition. Self-advancement loses its steam in favor of a generous concern for the growth of one another. The individual’s race to achieve is overshadowed by a kindhearted, corporate walk toward wisdom.

Though teachers may write the world’s best integral unit, engaging each learning style, exercising each intelligence, building every skill and capturing every imagination, if they don’t love their students, they have failed as teachers.

Though a teacher may be the envy of the educational world with the best classroom management skills, intimate parent conferences, poignant drama productions, clever scope and sequence, or whatever else it may be that reveals professional, teacher-of-the-year effectiveness… as important as all that may be, if that teacher labors without love, s/he is basically a waste of talent.

A school of grace doesn’t miss the forest for the trees. It seeks understanding and wisdom, not mere knowledge or information. It expects progress, not perfection. It values relationship over efficiency; presence over productivity; mercy over minutiae. In a school of grace, the bottom line is love.

For ultimately all eloquent speech will be silenced, all human knowledge will be erased, all great books will crumble, all impressive buildings will fall, and every single body of flesh will return to dust. When everything man-made and earth-bound has finally fallen, only one thing will remain standing tall… Love.

In God’s perspective, there are three great virtues: humble and steady faith; resolute and steadfast hope; godly and extravagant love. But only one of these virtues has the final word… Love. So then, go after a life of love in everything you study and do; Follow the way of love as if your life depended on it.

2 Replies to “The Pedagogy of Love”

  1. You’re not only the smartest and most gifted brother I have, you’re also the most loving. It’s like you’ve got this love welcome mat in front of you , but with a smile you silently shout ”
    ” Come on and get you some “

  2. This is my first visit to your blog and boy am I excited to know that you are up to this! Love your wisdom and the beautiful way that you express it!