I don't know about most people, but I love school. It could be why God selected me to be an educator, a coach, and now a high school principal. I have loved watching and listening to teachers teach, students listen and many times teach the teachers, and I love to catch the energy of a classroom in action.
We started school yesterday with a half day here in Knoxville. I can remember growing up in Michigan and not starting school before Labor Day. Somewhere, I guess people got a lot less smart, because now we have to start school in the middle of summer in order to learn enough to consider ourselves "ready" for college and vocations. I once had a teacher with a placemat on her desk that read "The Three Best Things About Teaching Are June, July, and August." Now we get to "relax" in June and July before entering into combat mode, arming ourselves with lesson plans, curriculum maps, and common core standards.
Yesterday we had a new girl who had a terrible day. So bad was her day that her father called to share how heartbroken she was. She came from a much larger school where she had many friends. Here, among our 315 students in abbreviated 30 minute classes, no one had made her feel at home or welcomed, and she was ready to transfer back to her old school. I conveyed to the parent that the first day is information heavy, with teachers sharing rules, passing out syllabi, and mostly talking to the students, not necessarily listening. The next nine months is spent more in groups, collaborative learning, lots more listening and discussion.
I assured her father that we had really sweet kids and that his daughter needed to give us a few days and she would soon love coming to school at Grace. In the meantime, I looked at her schedule, what other students were in those classes, and when she ate lunch. After all, lunch is the center of all that is important in the school day! When I interview new students, they often share that the thing that most terrifies them is who will sit with them at lunch. Our kids are pretty good at "adopting" new students, but I wanted to be sure in this girl's case, so I called one of her classmates into the office this morning to ask her to do me a favor. I asked if whe knew the girl, and she said that she had introduced herself to her in Bible class yesterday. I then asked if she would be willing to invite her to sit with her for a couple days while she got acclimated to the Grace community.
It was her answer that blew me away. Or should I say, the way she answered me.
She looked at me, smiling, wide-eyed with excitement, and said, "Oh, I would love to do that. I will look for her this morning and introduce myself to her again! Mr. Down, thank you for asking me."
Thank you for asking me.
How many times have I been asked to do something outside of my "comfort zone" and excitedly said "THANKS" for being asked. This young servant was grateful for an opportunity to minister to someone, to be a friend to a new student. But like the old infomercial salesman used to say, "But WAIT, there's more!"
Fast forward to lunch time. I am standing by the line, trying to convince some terrified freshmen that it was OK to get into line. Not on Day One, apparently. They were waiting for an upperclassman to lead the way into the new territory, the undiscovered country of the high school cafeteria. Pretty soon, some upperclassmen did arrive, and the freshmen slowly took a space in the line, just not too close to a junior or senior.
My cheery volunteer showed up in line and exclaimed that she found her new lunch "buddy" earlier in school and shared that she was sitting with her at lunch, and asked if it was OK. She said the new girl was going to be there shortly. A couple minutes passed, and finally the new girl entered the cafeteria with her lunch bag and sat at a table a few feet away. My volunteer was about to be served, but she left her place in line, went and sat down with the new girl, and waited until the line was empty before getting up to gather her lunch tray.
Seldom have I been more stunned and impressed with the selflessness of an individual. She exited the lunch serving area with her tray, sat down, and soon began chatting up a storm with our new girl. A casual observer would have thought they were lifelong friends. I hope this act helps cement in our new student how valuable she is to our family of faith here at Grace.
I don't know where you are in your life, but I am far from where this giving student is right now. Matthew 25:31-46 references how Jesus measured true discipleship when he tells his followers to "do this to the least of these". It is staggering when you get to see it up close and personal.
I once heard a sermon decades ago that I have never forgotten (I guess that's obvious if I am about to repeat it). The basic message was about the kind of disciple God looks to use. Referring to people like Joseph, Samuel, Peter, and David, he shared the common qualities God saw in them He desires in us all.
Faithful. Gifted. Available.
I am so grateful to be involved in Kingdom work in a Christian school. I was reminded by a high school student today to continue to be open for business all the time,
To be faithful.
To use my gifts.
And be available.
