Back to School
It’s ‘back to school’! For thousands of families, the summer holidays are over, and it’s time to embrace the school routine. For some it’s the first time, whilst others may be starting Infants, Junior, Secondary School, College or even University.
I remember my first day at Secondary School. The uniform was crisp, clean and a little too big. I even had new underwear!
It was a big leap from Junior School, where, for the last year, we had been the oldest and the tallest. We had been there four years and we were in charge!
But now, we were the youngest and smallest again. The Secondary School was much bigger than where we came from, with over three times as many pupils! I remember feeling quite overwhelmed.
School, College and University are places of education, where the students learn a variety of subjects preparing them for the life ahead.
Looking back on my days at School, I have fond memories. One thing I have realised is that learning doesn’t stop when you finish formal education. Life is continual learning…
“For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.”
This was written by Paul to the Christians in the early church. He was telling them that none of them saw the full picture. We, like them, only see and know in part, we are all still learners.
In my experience, I have been through many situations, some of my own doing, and others beyond my control, where I have had an opportunity to learn.
It may be something that I learnt about other people, or more importantly something I learnt about myself. There have been times when that has been really painful.
Discovering something about myself that was not so good was hard. I needed to change. I had to call on God to ‘change me on the inside’ first. That included learning new ways of processing, which then changed how I thought and what I did and said.
I look back at how I was some 20 or 30 years ago to see that, by God’s grace, I have changed in some areas. I still know I am not completely there, yet. To be honest, I’m not sure I will ever get there completely in this life. As Paul says in the verse above, there will be a day when I will be ‘fully known’.
What about you, how are you doing? You may not be physically going back to school, but let me encourage you to remain a learner…
God bless
Gary Bastin - Hope Community Church leader