Psalm 34:11-14
Come, my children, listen as I teach you
to respect the Lord.
Do you want to live
and enjoy a long life?
Then don’t say cruel things
and don’t tell lies.
Do good instead of evil
and try to live at peace.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
In our neck of the woods, today is “Back-To-School Day”. Facebook is flooded with photos of kiddos posing in fresh new outfits with their backpacks… ready to start another year of studies. Some hold signs declaring their grade level. Others look less than thrilled to be photographed. Mommas and daddies are experiencing a mixed bag of emotions… glad to see the kids shoot out the door and back to a routine – but also sad to see how quickly they grow.
When I was teaching kindergarten, I remember the teary-eyed mothers who could hardly bear to say “Goodbye” at the door – as if their child was going off to war or something. I remember children who clung to their parent’s leg and didn’t want them to leave – as if school was a big ole scary place… and I was the Wicked Witch of the West! Somehow, it all worked out after that first morning or two. I totally “get” the jumble of feelings that parents experience when they drop off their most precious cargo and place them in the hands of virtual strangers for 7+ hours a day. We have all been so excited about our own little Timothy starting to pre-K. But at the same time, it signals a major shift in the timeline of life. It seems like once children start to school – even a pre-K – the years really begin to fly.
School is a wonderful experience for most children. School is important… the place where we hope that learning will occur in a structured, organized continuum… a setting where social skills will be honed and we learn to get along with others and find our place in society. And as I read this passage from Psalm 34 today, I thought, “This would be a great starting point for learning!” If only we could start our school year by teaching these verses! In a round-about way, I believe this will happen in many classrooms. I started my first day each year with a lesson about the “ground rules”.
I reviewed three “rules” with my students… 1) Be kind to others; 2) Work and play quietly; and 3) Respect other people’s property. This encompassed pretty much every situation that might arise. Say something cruel or tell a lie? Remember to be kind to others. Raise your voice or yell and scream? Don’t forget to work and play quietly. Take a toy, crayon or book that doesn’t belong to you – or someone else was using? Gotta respect other people’s property!
The same verses – and rules – have application for us…even long after we have finished our school careers. If we will heed the words of this passage from Psalm 34, we will have a much better shot at living in God’s peace. If we will “be kind to others, work and play quietly, and respect other people’s property” – if we will strive to do good instead of evil… God will bless us and give us a good life in Him.
I’ve said before that as a former teacher, this time of year was more my “New Year” than January 1st. So why don’t we make this a time that we resolve to pay attention to these verses in Psalm 34… to listen to the LORD, to tell the truth and be kind… and to live in a way that pleases Him and frustrates the devil. In the words of the old John Lennon song… let’s “give peace a chance” to grow in our hearts - and enjoy a long, full life in the LORD. Happy “Back-to-School Day”… may yours be blessed and filled with peace!
©2013 Debbie Robus
Showing posts with label back to school. Show all posts
Showing posts with label back to school. Show all posts
Daily Devotional for August 13, 2013
Proverbs 3:13-18
God blesses everyone who has wisdom and common sense.
Wisdom is worth more than silver; it makes you much richer than gold. Wisdom is more valuable than precious jewels; nothing you want compares with her.
In her right hand Wisdom holds a long life, and in her left hand are wealth and honor. Wisdom makes life pleasant and leads us safely along. Wisdom is a life-giving tree, the source of happiness for all who hold on to her.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Tonight, our little four-year-old Timothy will attend an open house for pre-K. His mom and dad will go with him, and they will all meet his teachers and the school’s directors… and Timothy’s classmates. While a part of me is quite sad to think that this signals the beginning of a whole new chapter in our little guy’s life… I am also incredibly excited. As a former kindergarten teacher, I know what this will mean for him… how much he will grow and learn…how enriched his life will be by this experience.
About two years ago, Timothy attended a daycare for a few months. The daycare owner had a really strong instructional curriculum that she taught to even the toddlers… there was a whole lot more going on each day than just playtime. And in a few short weeks, Timothy went from being a baby who could barely say a handful of words to a little boy who spoke complete sentences – about panda bears and other animals… colors and shapes… numbers and so much more. He began to develop social skills and to learn about structure and organized activities. I had a glimpse then of how much this wisdom was going to expand his already-bright mind… and I know for certain that we’re about to be amazed once again.
Some of you may be about to embark on another school year – if not as a student, as a teacher, coach, or school staff member. I hope you will think about wisdom… whether you are the one who imparts it, or the recipient of knowledge from another. We are all capable of learning new things every day. So even if you are not involved in formal education of some sort, God has things to share with you. As our focus shifts from absorbing knowledge in a classroom setting to actually functioning in the real everyday world, we learn about wisdom of another kind - God’s wisdom. And oh, how we need this!
God’s wisdom can make the difference between saying the right thing… and starting World War Three. His wisdom can keep us from making mistakes both great and small… from getting into trouble – or hurting someone’s feelings. God gives us common sense, so that we don’t make foolish choices. He shows us how to share the love of Jesus Christ with others… to win their hearts for Him… and how to nurture other believers in our path. God’s wisdom and common sense help us deal with crises and heartaches… times of great loneliness and sadness… and the “mountaintop experiences” that bring us tremendous joy. The “school of God” is far different from a pre-K or other formal educational setting. In order to learn from Him, we basically need three things… prayer and communion with Him, Bible study, and fellowship with other believers. Through these avenues, God can grant us life-giving wisdom that will fill us with confidence, safety, joy, and peace.
I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that this is a good time to declare “back to school” for all of us… regardless of our age or station in life! As a teacher, this time of year signaled a New Year to me even more, perhaps, than January 1st. So why don’t we resolve to start a new year of learning… a time of growth and increased knowledge in the LORD! Let’s agree to increase our Spiritual wisdom and common sense… to spend a little time in “study” with God… and to mature our faith in the coming months. Like the little four-year-old boy who is going off to pre-K, I have a feeling we will see amazing results in a short time. I’m willing to give it a shot… are you?
©2013 Debbie Robus
God blesses everyone who has wisdom and common sense.
Wisdom is worth more than silver; it makes you much richer than gold. Wisdom is more valuable than precious jewels; nothing you want compares with her.
In her right hand Wisdom holds a long life, and in her left hand are wealth and honor. Wisdom makes life pleasant and leads us safely along. Wisdom is a life-giving tree, the source of happiness for all who hold on to her.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Tonight, our little four-year-old Timothy will attend an open house for pre-K. His mom and dad will go with him, and they will all meet his teachers and the school’s directors… and Timothy’s classmates. While a part of me is quite sad to think that this signals the beginning of a whole new chapter in our little guy’s life… I am also incredibly excited. As a former kindergarten teacher, I know what this will mean for him… how much he will grow and learn…how enriched his life will be by this experience.
About two years ago, Timothy attended a daycare for a few months. The daycare owner had a really strong instructional curriculum that she taught to even the toddlers… there was a whole lot more going on each day than just playtime. And in a few short weeks, Timothy went from being a baby who could barely say a handful of words to a little boy who spoke complete sentences – about panda bears and other animals… colors and shapes… numbers and so much more. He began to develop social skills and to learn about structure and organized activities. I had a glimpse then of how much this wisdom was going to expand his already-bright mind… and I know for certain that we’re about to be amazed once again.
Some of you may be about to embark on another school year – if not as a student, as a teacher, coach, or school staff member. I hope you will think about wisdom… whether you are the one who imparts it, or the recipient of knowledge from another. We are all capable of learning new things every day. So even if you are not involved in formal education of some sort, God has things to share with you. As our focus shifts from absorbing knowledge in a classroom setting to actually functioning in the real everyday world, we learn about wisdom of another kind - God’s wisdom. And oh, how we need this!
God’s wisdom can make the difference between saying the right thing… and starting World War Three. His wisdom can keep us from making mistakes both great and small… from getting into trouble – or hurting someone’s feelings. God gives us common sense, so that we don’t make foolish choices. He shows us how to share the love of Jesus Christ with others… to win their hearts for Him… and how to nurture other believers in our path. God’s wisdom and common sense help us deal with crises and heartaches… times of great loneliness and sadness… and the “mountaintop experiences” that bring us tremendous joy. The “school of God” is far different from a pre-K or other formal educational setting. In order to learn from Him, we basically need three things… prayer and communion with Him, Bible study, and fellowship with other believers. Through these avenues, God can grant us life-giving wisdom that will fill us with confidence, safety, joy, and peace.
I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that this is a good time to declare “back to school” for all of us… regardless of our age or station in life! As a teacher, this time of year signaled a New Year to me even more, perhaps, than January 1st. So why don’t we resolve to start a new year of learning… a time of growth and increased knowledge in the LORD! Let’s agree to increase our Spiritual wisdom and common sense… to spend a little time in “study” with God… and to mature our faith in the coming months. Like the little four-year-old boy who is going off to pre-K, I have a feeling we will see amazing results in a short time. I’m willing to give it a shot… are you?
©2013 Debbie Robus
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