Sometimes teaching feels like a battle.

This school year my colleagues have been talking a lot about a lack of motivation in their students. We’ve come to the conclusion that our students may be struggling with post-pandemic and post-高考^ℹ️(college entrance exam) stress.

Post-college entrance exam stress comes after the 12 years of school leading up to a tough exam that determines whether students can attend university, are consigned to a socially unacceptable vocational school, or directly enter the work force in low-paying jobs. In other words, university students have just endured 12 years of sleep deprivation and very little time to rest and relax.

The students at my university may also be suffering from pre-job search anxiety. After class one day, two first years shared their fears with me. In an economic environment where young people are struggling to find jobs, these students are also worried that AI may make their future profession obsolete. On the other side of this angst is 九九六^ℹ️ , “9-9-6,” the expectation to work from 9am to 9pm, 6 days a week.

Most students keep plodding along. Some give up and 躺平^ℹ️, “lie flat.” As my Chinese dictionary explains, these young people choose to “opt out of the rat race.” They may stop studying or quit their job instead of attempting to reach goals and meet society’s expectations. Amid all these pressures, the suicide rate for children aged 5-14 and young people aged 15-24 has seen a disturbing increase in recent years.

Sometimes teaching feels like a battle but not because we’re fighting against our students. Rather, they are struggling to survive in the classroom and out in the world. At the same time, our battle is within as we fight to squelch impatience and give them the understanding and encouragement they desperately need.

How do you relate? Does your work or life sometimes feel like a battle? Yet, you and I are not fighting against the people of this world. Rather, they are struggling to survive, and we are fighting an internal battle to replace condemnation and criticism with the healing and hope they desperately need.

For followers of Jesus, our battle is not against flesh and blood enemies. We put our armor on but not in order to fight against the people of this world. Instead, we’re fighting for them. Like medics in the wake of a fierce battle, we’re trudging from broken body to corpse-like form, pouring out the healing balm of Broken Body and pointing their eyes to Hope.

Photo by israel palacio on Unsplash