The Good News by Pastor Zack
The Handbook
School starts next week, and Leigh and I are thrilled. I’m sure you are, too. My kids say they never even had a break, conveniently forgetting the grandparent cruise, weeks at Camp Glisson, spend the night parties, and the dozens of days they slept until lunchtime. Anticipating the arrival of her students, Mrs. Sigler, the High School Principal, sent parents a Welcome Back letter last week. It was great letter!
Mrs. Sigler reminded us about attendance, computers, and health requirements. She dedicated the remainder of the short letter to highlight a few rules from the Student Handbook. I can fairly summarize them as the “3 C’s”: Cell phones, Clothing, and Contraband (i.e. vape cartridges, alcohol, drugs). There are other rules about cheating, fighting, and infamous “PDA’s” (Public Displays of Affection) in the handbook but the principal wanted to emphasize the “3 C’s”.
This got me thinking. We all live by a handbook, of sorts, in life. Biblical laws, church doctrines and practices, secular state and national laws, and common-sense wisdom. We literally live by 1000’s of laws, rules, and regulations. It’s our personal student handbook. If you had to write a letter to our community, which ones would you pick to emphasize in your letter.
You might choose one of three lists of the 10 commandments in the Old Testament. Take a moment to read and study the similarities and differences between these lists. (Exodus 20; Exodus 34; or Deuteronomy 5). Even the Biblical writers had a difficult time summarizing the most important 10 commandments of ancient Israel.
If I wrote a letter to the community, I think I would start with the Exodus 20 commandments. The first four commandments are more subjective, so I would probably summarize and focus on the last 5 commandments:
- Honor your parents: Honoring parents and being an honorable parent is important. Functionally, teachers become an extension of parenting and need to be honored, too.
- Don’t murder: Well, bluntly put we need to avoid the language, hatred, and violence that leads to someone to even conceive of murder.
- Don’t cheat on your boy/girlfriend: Yes, I expanded adultery to cheating on the promises in teenage romances. Besides, cheating leads to all kinds of violence and drama.
- Don’t steal: If it’s not yours don’t touch it! This applies to each other’s bodies as well our material things.
- Don’t lie: Integrity and honesty create a trustworthy environment. Also, doing our own work and not cheating helps the teachers help students where they are weak.
- Don’t covet: If it’s not yours, don’t think greedy and lustful thoughts for it. (See the adultery commandment)
Jesus was once asked by a lawyer, “Which commandment is greatest in the law?” Jesus responded, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind…and your neighbor as yourself.” (Luke 10:26-27) The details of how to do these greatest commandments is where we get bogged down.
What would your letter to the community summarize from your personal student handbook. Give it some thought and let me know.
Peace,
