This Sunday School for Teachers episode centers on the story of Zacchaeus and the powerful idea of being truly seen. It reflects on how Jesus noticed one individual in a crowd and how that single moment completely changed the direction of his life. Being seen is more than just attention—it’s recognition, value, and connection.
Zacchaeus was labeled, judged, and overlooked by others. He wasn’t the person people expected Jesus to notice. And yet, in a crowd full of people, Jesus stopped, looked up, and called him by name. That moment of being seen led to a transformation that impacted his entire life.
In classrooms, there are always students who feel overlooked, misunderstood, or labeled before we fully know them. This episode challenges teachers to slow down and intentionally notice those students—the ones who may sit quietly, act out, or carry stories we don’t yet understand.
The message is simple but powerful: don’t miss the one. One moment of recognition can shift a student’s experience, build trust, and create lasting impact. In a room full of students, choosing to truly see just one can change everything.
Show Notes
Sunday School for Teachers purpose
Faith and teaching connection
Story of Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1–10)
Being seen and known
Classroom application
Noticing overlooked students
Labels and assumptions in education
Teaching as calling
Key Takeaways
Every classroom has students who feel unseen
Labels can block us from truly knowing students
Slowing down helps us notice individuals
One moment of being seen can change a student
Relationships drive meaningful classrooms
Teaching is both impact and calling
Seeing one student matters deeply
Transcripts
Funky Teacher, Nicholas Kleve:
This is Mr. Funky Teacher with BeAFunkyTeacher.com. I'm coming to you with another Be a Funky Teacher podcast. Well, welcome back to Sunday School for Teachers.
Today's episode is called Seeing the One in the Tree.
Before we jump into today's reflection, I want to remind you what Sunday School for Teachers is really about.
This is a space each week for my Christian teacher friends—whether you teach in a public school or a private one—to slow down, breathe, and realign your heart with the one who called you to teach.
I have a deep respect for all educators, including those who don't share my faith. But on Sundays, I intentionally dedicate this episode to openly share how my faith in Jesus shapes me as a teacher—how it grounds me, stretches me, and reminds me that teaching is more than a career. It’s a calling.
And I’m not a preacher. I’m just a teacher—flawed and messy like anyone else—trying to let God work through me.
Because Monday is coming.
And before we step into another week, we pause here. We remember who we are. We remember whose we are. And we walk into the week grace-grounded.
Well, before we dive into today’s story, I want to pause and share three things that I’m thankful for.
The first thing that I’m thankful for is moments when I slow down enough to really notice people—those times when you realize someone needed to be seen.
The second thing that I’m thankful for is second chances in relationships—the opportunity to reconnect, reset, and move forward in different types of relationship dynamics. Whether it’s with a student, a colleague, or a family member, those moments matter.
And the third thing that I’m thankful for is students who grow over time—watching progress not overnight, but over weeks and months. That’s something special.
All right, let’s jump in.
Our topic once again is Zacchaeus—seeing the one in a tree.
Our story today comes from the book of Luke, chapter 19, verses 1 through 10.
Jesus enters a town called Jericho. There is a man there named Zacchaeus.
Zacchaeus is described as a chief tax collector. That matters. Tax collectors in that time were not liked. They often worked for the Roman government and were known for taking extra money from people. So Zacchaeus would have been seen as dishonest, untrustworthy—someone people didn’t really respect.
And on top of that, Scripture tells us that he was short. So when a crowd gathers to see Jesus, Zacchaeus can’t see over the people.
He wants to see Jesus—but he’s blocked.
So he does something unexpected. He runs ahead and climbs a sycamore tree just to get a glimpse.
A grown man. A wealthy man. A man of status—climbing a tree just to see Jesus.
And then something happens that changes everything.
As Jesus walks by, he stops.
He looks up.
And he calls Zacchaeus by name.
“Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.”
Out of all the people in the crowd, Jesus sees him. Not just sees him—he chooses him.
The crowd doesn’t like it. They begin to mutter, saying, “Why would Jesus go to his house?”
But Zacchaeus is changed.
He stands up and says, “Look, Lord, here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor. And if I have cheated anybody, I will pay back four times the amount.”
And Jesus responds, “Today salvation has come to this house… for the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
This story is about being seen.
Zacchaeus was known for the wrong reasons. He was labeled, judged, overlooked.
And yet Jesus stops for him, calls him by name, and gives him attention.
Teachers know this moment—because every classroom has students who get labeled, overlooked, or misunderstood.
And sometimes, those students feel unseen.
And the question becomes—who are we noticing?
What does Zacchaeus look like in a classroom?
It’s the student sitting quietly in the back.
It’s the student who acts out.
It’s the student others have already made assumptions about.
And sometimes they’re right in front of us—but like the crowd, we can miss them.
This story challenges us to slow down, to look up, and to see the one.
Because one moment of being seen can change everything.
For Zacchaeus, it changed his entire life.
Well, as I close, I want to say this:
Jesus didn’t just teach the crowd—he noticed the individual.
And that’s the reminder for us as teachers.
In a room full of students, don’t miss the one.
Because seeing one student clearly can change everything.
Will you pray with me?
Lord, help me see the students who might be overlooked and help all of us slow down enough to notice the one who needs us most. Give us eyes to see beyond labels. Give us patience to look deeper, and help us create classrooms where every student feels seen and valued. Amen.
Well, as you go into your week, remember to inspire greatness in young people. And don’t forget—be a funky teacher. Bye now.
