Important Things

Today I saw a post on Facebook that read, "Put prayer back in schools!"  The person was claiming that if people were only allowed to pray as a part of school that our schools would be better. First of all, you can pray in school.  You can pray anywhere really; saying it out loud makes no difference to whether God hears you or not.  I have many Christian friends who pray for tests and friends and troubles throughout their school days and don't get in trouble at public school.

Secondly, I don't believe that adding prayer will change anything in school.  The most it may do is allow some teachers to preach to students, but it will not guarantee that the students will suddenly become great, amazing, rule-following people.  We have to face it: we live in a fallen world.  It will never be perfect; there is no 'one-step solution' to this page.

Before you ask how could I not want prayer in schools, I want you to see the bigger picture.  Parents are no longer forcing their kids to come with them to church.  That was a big thing in freshman year; all of these modern worldviews talking about how cruel it is to force a religion on some kid before they are old enough to decide what they want to follow.  I found it convincing at first, but I realized that the reason why parents do push their kids out of bed every Sunday is because they are learning a religion either way.  If you don't take them, you are teaching them that it isn't as important as sleep, or not even real.  I don't know too many people who had gone to church service every Sunday up 'till graduation and turned away completely in college.  Even if that person couldn't make it to worship services on Sundays, they probably would still at least pray before an exam.

It is also true though that a person whose parents never went to church or forced them to go with them would be far less likely to pray in school either.  I attend a Christian school and we pray every morning after the pledge.  Even though everyone gets quiet, not everyone prays.  The people who say the prayer on the announcements don't always care either.  I heard a prayer once said in a very dejected voice, "Dear God, thank you for this day, amen."  Everyone in the room laughed, the teachers were upset that he didn't put more into it, and you probably would have been too.

So how are we going to get kids who have never even heard of God to pray in public schools to him?  To them it will be like the pledge: "We do this because the government makes us. I hate America."

What makes my school different than public schools then?  The real Christians who are working there.

I have to say, we have so many teachers who care about their kids.  They don't even talk to us about Jesus all the time or pray over us everyday in class; not many of us actually care about that stuff.  No, we have teachers who are honest with us, share with our conversations more than the topics in the plan; and then we have talks with them about problems in our lives.  They sit down and work out problems between two students, judging the truth from the lies.  We learn to trust our authorities because they are reliable, knowledgeable  and don't fall for 'teacher's pets'.  Their opportunity to speak about Christ is during chapel, but their opportunity to show Christ is in the classroom, and they do it well here!

We need to stop losing sight of the important things in life.  Small stuff will get you no where; we all know that.  So why focus on praying in school? Why not focus on being the example you want kids to see and respect?  Even if it's hard, that's what Jesus calls "loving our enemies" and "praying for those who persecute you".  We have to do the action even if we ain't feelin' it.

I realize this is a lot longer than I had planned, and I applaud you for reading this far, but I have one last thing to share: not too long ago, I watched this video which got me thinking.  It talks about focusing on the bigger picture rather than the little things.  It is inspiring and thought-provoking, and I encourage you to watch it.

In fact, do more than watch it; share it with your friends, your church, your local school.  Maybe if we Christians change like Christ asks us to, then others will see his light where it wasn't before.

The "Unforgivable" Sin

"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?"
Jesus replied, " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'  This is the first and greatest commandment.  
And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' 
All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."
 - Matthew 22:36-40

Young Promises

When you make a promise to someone, a promise that you probably shouldn't have made, it makes it harder to let go... especially when you made the promise before you were old enough to know what you were saying.

It's hard for me to see little kids run after each other, having 'boyfriends" and "girlfriends" and telling each other they "love them".  It's got to be important to us to teach our kids and our younger peers in school that things like this aren't important--that it's more important to become a better person for God.  I don't like young relationships, mostly because I was in one that's been affecting the rest of my life, and I don't want some of their innocence to be ruined by a pitiful, easily avoided mistake.

But to keep this brief, I will admit, maybe it's good for them to learn young.  Not that they should have relationships in elementary, but that when they are a teen, they can learn somehow what is truly important to them and to life, somehow, someway, by God's plans.

I guess I wouldn't be writing this blog if it weren't for those times when I found myself crying out to God for help because of what I'd done.. but I still can't help but wish I hadn't said some of the things I had, like "I promise to always love you" when I was only fourteen years old.  But I do believe in God's promises--that he will use everything for our good (Rom. 8:28)--and so I just hope that he turns this into a good thing.

But what do you think?  What part should we play in young people's lives?

"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing, and perfect will."
- Romans 12:2

Baptizo

Baptism was made for people,
so that they could be sure of God's people.
It holds you accountable;
It proves to the world
that you're trying;
And it reassures you
that you are saved.
Is it necessary?
Absolutely!
For the sake of Unity
and Peace among God's people,
It is necessary.
Is it everything?
No,
It's only a commitment;
You must be the one to obey it.
Can it ever be broken?
Only God knows.
But will he ever stop loving you?
Not even once. ♥