GOD BLESS YOU, EDUCATORS!
"I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every
prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your
partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. And I am sure of
this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at
the day of Jesus Christ." (Philippians 1:3-6 ESV©)
Complimentary appreciation and gratitude are shrinking while
contentious criticism and condemnation are increasing in our contemporary
society. It's happening in our homes, workplaces, churches, and schools.
Parents and their children, employers and their employees, pastors and their
parishioners, and teachers and their students are experiencing a growth in
contentious relationships while complimentary ones decline.
As the 2007-2008 school year came to a completion I attended four
graduation ceremonies: our Immanuel Lutheran School Kindergarten, Perryville
High School, Saxony Lutheran High School, and our Immanuel Lutheran School
8th Grade. In all four cases (and I'm certain that it was also true in the
other Perryville and Perry County schools) complimentary words of thanks
were spoken to both parents and teachers while the center stage was given to
the graduates.
In light of that I encourage all of us to supportively compliment
the many dedicated education team members in both public and parochial
schools: teachers, administrators, custodians and maintenance workers, bus
drivers, cooks and servers, librarians, secretaries and support personnel,
coaches, counselors, and all others who devote themselves to the
intellectual, social, cultural, and spiritual growth of our children. These
are the people who partner with parents to shape and mold society's youth
into tomorrow's citizens who will carry on what previous generations have
handed down to us.
Without self-sacrificial educators who often work in difficult
situations and give of their energy and time beyond normal eight-hour
workdays for compensation below their qualification (many of whom even
provide educational resources from their personal pay), we would quickly
become an illiterate society somewhat similar to history's dark ages of
approximately A.D. 400-1,000. During that time backward ways and inhumane
practices prevailed; there was intense religious struggle and corruption;
and sound literature and cultural achievements were minimal. In short, the
educated few dominated and suppressed the uneducated many. Thanks largely
to Christian schools in our nation's early history, we now have an
educational system that instructs the many thereby preventing us from
returning to the dark ages.
So, to all public and parochial educators in Perryville, Perry
County, and beyond (including homeschoolers) I say, "God bless you!" I
deeply appreciate you and your efforts to educate today's children for which
I give you my great gratitude. And, an extra measure of appreciation and
gratitude goes to all of you (especially the Immanuel Lutheran School
faculty and staff) who communicate the love of God through Jesus Christ to
your students. That's the spiritual substance that will transform our
society from one of sinful self-destructive contention to one of
Christ-centered care, concern, and compassion.
To that end I conclude with the following education-related
reminders from Holy Scripture.
"Hear, O [America]: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the
Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your
might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart.
You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them
when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie
down, and when you rise." (Deuteronomy 6:4-7 ESV©)
"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the
Holy One is insight." (Proverbs 9:10 ESV©)
"Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not
depart from it." (Proverbs 22:6 ESV©)
Rev. Thomas V. Handrick, Sr.
Admin. Pastor, Immanuel Lutheran Church & School
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