Sacrifice and Christian Education

excerpts from article by Rodney Nelson Teacher at Liberty Christian School in Richland, Washington

A Familiar Refrain

During my experience as a teacher in a Christian School, I have heard many people comment about the sacrifices teachers make to work in a Christian School. Usually the comment refers to the sacrifice in pay as compared to the pay for working an equivalent position in public schools. It goes without saying that Christian School teachers make far less than they would in public school education. Because of this, their jobs are seen as ministries accompanied by the necessary pay sacrifices. Christian School teachers take satisfaction in knowing they serve the Lord in a way that requires them to make sacrifices in salary, personal time, and professional duties. Sacrifice in this sense clearly refers to willingly and consciously giving up opportunities that carry greater personal benefits in favor of a ministry in which the rewards are found in other ways.

A Different Perspective

Sacrifice is usually defined as giving up or surrendering something desirable for the sake of doing something that carries a higher value. In other words, one makes a choice to give up what he or she would naturally prefer to do in order to do something he or she would not naturally desire to do. The cost requires giving up the benefits that would come with the preferred option. Jesus faced this situation in coming to earth as a man (Philippians 2:5-8). He could have chosen to stay in the preferred situation (Heaven), yet He chose to leave and come to earth as a man (sacrifice). Therefore, He sacrificed in three ways: location, station, and condition (not identity). Though He was God, Jesus did not use that reality as something that would cause Him to stay in Heaven, but “made himself of no reputation” (sacrificed the glories of Heaven) to come to earth and become a man.

A Better Sacrifice

Jesus’ model of sacrifice provides a vital perspective on the issue of teachers sacrificing to work in Christian schools. I previously bought into the traditional notion of sacrifice as it related to my personal choice to teach in Christian schools. I viewed sacrifice in terms of what I was giving up in exchange for working in Christian schools. However, the example of Jesus teaches me otherwise – a better model of sacrifice. It is a sacrifice that does not focus on what is given up in exchange for doing something else. Rather, it views the "something else” as more important than what was given up. Jesus “did not consider” His equality with God as something that would keep Him in Heaven (Philippians 2:6). He gave up the expression of deity, though not the possession of it, and “made himself of no reputation” (literally “emptied himself”) taking the very nature of a servant ... (and) humbled Himself even to the death on the cross! (Philippians 2:7-8). In other words, He voluntarily gave up Heaven to do what He really wanted to do – become a man and willingly die for all men! The sacrifice was in terms of doing what He truly desired (becoming a man to die for me on the cross), not in what He gave up to do so. I now view my “sacrifice” in terms of what I really want to do – teach in a Christian school. Quite frankly, I am giving up nothing to work in a Christian school because there is no place I would rather be. I am not sacrificing a career in public education with the collective bargaining agreements, higher pay, and better benefits. Since I only see myself as a Christian educator, I cannot see myself anywhere else.

The Real Sacrifices

In Christian education those who truly sacrifice are the parents who give from their hearts and wallets the resources that make Christian schools work. They volunteer, donate, and contribute endless hours, dollars, and resources to the functioning of the Christian school. While I personally appreciate their sentiments in expressing their appreciation for my sacrifice to teach in Christian schools, I must defer to others for meriting this consideration. My satisfaction is gained by ministering to the children of those who truly sacrifice to send them to my Christian school.