Today is balmy, making it a perfect day for a run.
During my run I pondered the passage I had studied this morning in my Bible time. It's the story of Daniel and King Darius in Daniel chapter 6. Frankly, I got stuck at verse 3. I found this to be a most instructive verse when it comes to teaching. Here we read that "Daniel soon proved himself more capable than all the other presidents and governors, for he had great ability." In short, Daniel stood out above the others.
The Hebrew word yattira can refer to anything that is great, excellent, preeminent, or abundant. "He possessed an extraordinary spirit" is the way the NASB renders the Hebrew.
If you're a teacher, you know exactly what this passage is talking about. You've probably had students in your classes in that category. They just stand out. If you're a coach, you've had some athletes that stood out. Sometimes they ended up playing professionally or becoming a member of the Olympic team. They stood out. If you're in business, you might have had an employee who stood head and shoulders above everyone else.
Every semester, without exception, I have had a student like that. All a teacher wants is a student who tries their best. We can't help anyone who just gives up or doesn't care. But a "yattira student" would be someone who not only does the work but has a love of the subject. Even though they're not a show-off, they shine a bright light over the entire class. Years later you're still talking about them. You wonder what sculpted them into who they are. You feel supremely blessed to have had them in your class. They asked great questions, helped other students, were trustworthy, and showed grit when things got tough. For them, education was never an agonizingly slow, discordant journey. They blazed a trail quickly and easily toward beneficial, high-value truth.
Appreciate these students, and they'll blossom and grow into wonderful people. If you can, meet with them in private and speak a word of encouragement into their life. Be sincere in your compliments. How rare such people are! Let their example remind you why you teach. Being a good student doesn't just mean achieving great scores on tests. It means having a love of learning, a passion for knowledge, and a hunger to grow academically.
If God has blessed you with such students, be sure to thank him -- and them.