School Supplies !
School classes have already resumed, and students are back to the daily grind, carrying around all of the supplies they need in their backpacks or cramming their desks full of the precious stuff. But during the middle of August, it seemed that many parents were in a mad rush to grab supply lists posted for each school and search high and low for items, at bargain prices of course, that their dear children from Kindergarten to college age needed for school. Verla and I thought we were ready, as we had purchased a number of items at the end of the school season last year, when items were on sale for as much as 75% or more off the normal prices. However, little did we know that there would be an entirely different list of items desired by teachers this year, as Benjamin is now going to a centralized Sixth Grade at Van Cleve Elementary in Troy, rather than continuing on at Hook Elementary. At Hook, as well as all the other Troy elementary schools, there had always been a consistent list of supplies from first through sixth grades, and parents could plan ahead to have supplies on hand. But the new combined sixth grade has their own unique list, with variations for the 4 groups of students within the school. So now we had supplies we don’t need, and yet needed others that we didn’t anticipate. In addition, there seems to be a discrepancy between what the teachers would like their students to have and what the manufacturers are providing. But that is a separate issue. Anyway, Verla and I now have all of Benjamin’s supplies labeled and ready for him to take to school.
Isn’t it great that as Christians, we don’t have to make a mad rush to Christian bookstores every year to purchase a changing list of supplies that we need to grow in our walk with the Lord? Of course, there are plenty of study resources available, which is a great blessing for us, but we really need only one textbook (with 66 mini-volumes included), which has not changed since it was compiled almost 2,000 years ago.
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3: 16,17. Some people may consider the 1601 translation authorized by King James of England to be the accepted text, but many of us living in the 21st century don’t really understand the language Shakespeare used, and we certainly don’t use Shakespeare’s expressions in our daily communication. Thank the Lord for scholars who have worked hard to make translations such as the New American Standard Version or New International Version, which are easier for us to understand. It will always take a lifetime to apply God’s Word, and even then, we will never fully comprehend it. Even Bible scholars, who should know better, still can and do misinterpret and misapply Scripture, but we all need to study to grow as a Christian.
As Paul admonished Timothy, Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.2 Timothy 2:15 (NIV), or as it says in the King James Version, "Study to show yourself approved UNTO GOD! A workman needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth."
Let's be like the Bereans, who studied diligently every day. Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. Acts 17:11 (NIV).
Serving His Kingdom Together,
Jonathan Simms