Saturday, February 2, 2013

Is God in our schools? Feb Newsletter

We should put God back in school.  These are the words, we hear every time, there is news about violence in a school.  Which, by the way, is much too often. Personally, I don’t believe God has left our schools. We no longer read the Bible or say the Lord’s Prayer, but that doesn’t mean God has left the building.

We live in a diverse society. The children, in our schools, are from many different religions. A parent, who is a practicing Jew or Muslim, may not want their child listening to the New Testament. Just as a parent, who is a practicing Christian, may not want their child listening to readings from the Torah or Koran. But, that doesn’t mean that what they learn about God at home, church school and in worship services doesn’t stay with them.

I think it is more about values. Yes, I believe in the Christian values of loving your neighbor as yourself; caring for those who need help; standing up for those who are put down. (Which, by the way, are the values of most religions.) But, I also do not believe those values can be taught by saying a prayer or reading a verse from the Bible in the morning.  These are values that are taught by living them. Children learn these values by watching others, including teachers, live them.

We all know that, if, we tell a child something and do something else, we might as well not bother to say anything at all. It is the same with our children in school and church for that matter. You can bring your child to church and Sunday school every week, but if you are not living out what they are learning, it is all for naught.

A few weeks ago, there was a stabbing at Wilson Southern Jr High and the classes were put on lock down. During that time, there were students who sat and prayed. Some students held hands and prayed. This is a behavior that is learned and lived. These children felt comfortable and comforted by praying. God was there in the school with them.

So I ask you, are you living your faith in a way that your children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews and friends recognize? Do you practice prayer in your home? Are you and your children comfortable praying?  Have they learned to be comforted by prayer?

Children learn by doing. It is not up to the schools to teach religion. That is up to us as parents, grandparents, and members of the faith community. God is in the schools and, if, we are doing our job, God will remain there.