Forever Forward in HopeSample

The Sacred Work of Educators

“You are the light of the world.... Let your light shine before others” (Matthew 5:14-16 NIV). “Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it” (Proverbs 22:6 NIV).

Before I became an author, advocate, community leader, and professor, I was just a young Black man trying to make sense of my pain. I knew what it felt like to walk through school with trauma and with my experiences with poverty weighing me down at every turn. I knew what it felt like to be written off and overlooked. That’s why I stepped into education—not from a textbook, but from my own lived experience.

When I began mentoring students, I saw myself in so many of them—kids dealing with poverty, family instability, and a world that didn’t always believe in them. That’s why I created Trailblazers and Pathfinders—spaces where young men and women could come and be heard, challenged, and supported. We brought in leaders from the community, talked through real-life struggles, and reminded them that their stories didn’t end with their circumstances.

Jesus said we are the light of the world. And sometimes that light shows up in a classroom, a cafeteria, or a hallway. If you’re a teacher, mentor, volunteer, or parent—don’t underestimate your impact. You might not see the growth right away, but that doesn’t mean it’s not happening.

Proverbs 22:6 tells us that when we plant seeds in young hearts, those seeds don’t disappear. Even if life takes them in a different direction for a while, those words of love, those moments of encouragement—they stay with them.

I’ve seen it. Students I mentored years ago have come back to tell me how one conversation changed how they saw themselves. One reminder of their worth gave them the courage to dream again. That’s the sacredness of this work—it lives beyond the moment.

If you’ve been serving the next generation and feel unseen or tired, I want to remind you: you are doing the work of God. You are shaping futures, restoring dignity, and showing what love looks like in action.

Reflection: What seeds are you planting today that someone might thank you for years from now?