Our challenge seemed simple, but proved more
difficult than we imagined.
The final day of school is always a half day.
Following breakfast, teachers and students head off to the gym, where eligible
students receive various awards. Typically, this had been followed by two hours
of dead time. But one year, we teachers decided to show a movie. As a Christian
school, we are required to show only G-rated movies unless we have parental
approval.
Our lead teacher picked Star Wars, thinking that
none of the students would have seen the original and that it would interest
them. She was correct on the first count but miserably wrong on the second.
What we teachers hoped would be a relaxing time turned into a scene more
challenging than the classroom.
Jeremiah, known as the “weeping prophet,” was also given a daunting challenge: deliver a message to God’s people, warning them of coming destruction by a foreign force (Jeremiah 22:21). A destruction they had brought on themselves by ignoring God, just as most of our students ignored the movie.
Most of the students ignored the movie because
they had no interest in it. Since it was space-related and showed examples of
techy stuff, we assumed they’d love it. The trouble was that our world has
advanced so far since the movie’s production that the production itself was now
dated. Without God’s intervention, we’ll respond to God the same way the
students did to the movie. While we’re born with spiritual interest, we’ll
ignore God because of our sinful nature unless we listen to the Spirit of God
pulling us in the right direction.
As a believer, I’ve ignored God numerous times
because I had my mind on other things. Had we shown the movie earlier in the
year, the students might have watched. This was the last day of school, and
they were moments away from the final bell and summer vacation. Unless we allow
God to keep our minds on spiritual things, we’ll also find ourselves ignoring God.
Initially, a few students were interested in the
movie but were eventually distracted by classmates who weren’t. I, too, have
been led away from God by others. Going was my choice, but letting them
influence me was also my choice.
Don’t let things or people lead you to a place where you are ignoring God. Doing so always has devastating effects.
Father, may I always give you my full attention
so I can accomplish Your perfect plan.
I invite you to try my book Hurt, Hope, and Healing. No one escapes life's hurts, but we can move beyond them to hope and healing. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.
