This is Sunday School Teacher Appreciation Day.

When you hear the word school, what comes to your mind? “Yuck!”? A building? A difficult teacher? You and a bunch of friends on the playground?

School can bring many mental pictures, not all of them positive. Maybe that’s why some kids find it hard to like the idea of “Sunday school.” They’ve already had five days of lessons and lectures, teachers and tests, and desks and detentions, and now another one!

Actually Sunday school was begun in England many years ago to be a place where poor children could learn. Instruction in the Christian faith was just one part of what they were taught. These days the teaching in Sunday School classes almost totally focuses on Bible lessons and faith.

To appreciate your teachers, first you have to appreciate Sunday school. That can happen if you stop thinking of it as the same as other schools. You could, for example, call it “Sunday Surprise,” “Bible Adventure,” “Church Challenge,” or something similar. This might help you look forward to the time more.

Next, consider the leader—your teacher. This person has worked hard preparing for his or her time with you, going over lesson plans, looking up Bible verses, gathering props, materials, and refreshments. He or she has been praying—for you and the others in your group. This person is a volunteer—he or she doesn’t get paid for spending time with you every week.

Finally, remember the reason for having Sunday school—to teach kids about God. You’re not against that, are you? Approaching each class with a positive attitude probably will help you get closer to your teacher and closer to God.

OK, so are you ready to “appreciate” now? Get to it!

Those who are taught the word of God should help their teachers by paying them (Galatians 6:6).

To Do

Think of a way to “pay” your Sunday School teacher. Pray for him or her, write a thank you note, or bring a gift this week.

Also on this day

1803—The U.S. Senate approved the Louisiana Purchase, which doubled the size of the United States.

1931—Baseball legend Mickey Mantle was born.

From Betsy Schmitt and Dave Veerman, 365 Trivia Twist Devotions: An Almanac of Fun Facts and Spiritual Truth for Every Day of the Year (Cincinnati: Standard, 2005). Scripture quotations are from the New Living Translation unless otherwise noted.