Fond Memories
Although it has been a while since I was in grade school, I overheard something yesterday that brought back grade school memories. I went to our church for a Bible study class and while we were waiting for it to start, I overheard the Jars of Clay children reciting something. I asked Patrick and he told me that he leads the kids to pray for their country, their family, their teachers and a few other things down to either cookies or candy (I don’t remember which).
This brought back memories of being in a rural grade school in central Illinois. Now, I must tell you that the state, has traditionally always leaned very liberal. Anyway, as a baby boomer, I have always been a part of a growing population group and my grade school was no different. They had just enough kids at each age group to need more than one class but not quite enough for two full classes. The school solved their dilemma by halving a split grade. Kids were selected that could be in a classroom where about half were one grade and half were a grade older. So, even though my birthday (because of where it fell) should have made me one of the oldest in my class, I was right in the middle age wise due to the split grade.
But I digress.
What was expected was that every morning we’d say the Pledge of Allegiance to the United States. It was comforting to hear all of us express our allegiance together. Except, there was one student, Doug, who stood with us but did not say the pledge. Doug was respectful and stood at attention, he just didn’t recite the pledge. The teacher never told the class why and in retrospect, that seemed to be the best path. I somehow found out later in the school year that his families religion frowned upon pledging allegiance (I think because it was interpreted as putting country before God, but it has been 50 years ago).
It’s funny because I don’t remember any kid or parent being vocally opposed to letting Doug (or any other kid) not participate. I don’t remember gossiping or back stabbing comments. In fact, I do not remember anyone discussing it much. It just wasn’t important enough.
Compare that to just a few days ago when a sports star gave a commencement speech at a very conservative college where he expressed that families and having two parents is important and that he and his wife are blessed by her being able to be a stay at home mom.
When I was in grade school, my mom and dad stayed together as my parents (which happened more than 50% of time back then), but my mom worked part time as a nurse at a hospital. Even then I’d say over half of my peers lived in families with both mom and dad working but there was a sizable group that were stay at home moms. Again, I don’t remember anyone questioning why a person chose to work or stay at home. It just was.
Since then, I have heard this person or that group, speak out to either support or deride what was said at the commencement speech. My question is, with everything else going on in the world, why is so much of society focusing on one man’s invited speech expressing his views to a conservative graduation?
Sometimes I wonder whether the enemy has gotten so good at promoting these distractions that we don’t even question the why is it important question any more.
“Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said,’“Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.’ But the Lord answered her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.’” - Luke 10:38-42 ESV
“Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life. Put away from you crooked speech, and put devious talk far from you. Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you. Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure. Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil.” - Proverbs 4:23-27
