Please Pass the Salt and Turn on the Light...

For some time now I've been wanting to write a post about today's subject, yet I've hesitated. Hesitated because the content is controversial and could step on toes, if it's taken the wrong way - both are things I try very hard to avoid. In addition, I try to keep the items on my blog somewhat brief and not so "heavy". However the events of today made me decide that I needed to share my opinion regarding the subject - and provide some things for fellow Christians to consider. And where better to share, than on my blog - a place where I can freely share my thoughts and opinions.

As you prepare to read below...please keep the following in mind:
The thoughts below are my opinions and the questions I raise are solely something to consider. My intent is NOT to appear to be on my "soap box" or be "preachy". Nor do I want to come across as passing judgement, bashing, blaming, condemning or to cause a debate. IF you are looking for that - then you've looked in the wrong place. Let me also say that I 100% support each parent's right to select their child's method of education, in the way they feel fits their family and children's needs. After all, God entrusted them to you, and you are to care for them in the way you best feel is correct. I realize that every one's way is not the way of another in the decision of their child's education, and there are select situations that play part in the decision making process.

Now, for those who've only known me for a short time or never met me at all...let me give you a little background.
1. I attended public schooling from Kindergarten through College. A blessing, in disguise!
2. My parents raised me in a Christian home and provided me (and my siblings) with a STRONG Christian foundation from the time I was born, continuing through my childhood and teen years. Allowing questionable material, topics, assignments, etc. at school to be a learning experience in growing my faith and relationship with God. A true gift!
3. I am NOT a mother. I do not have children of my own. I am however, an Aunt who is VERY active in all aspects of the lives of my six nieces and nephews (ages 4-20). In addition, I have a genuine love for children and teens - Christian and Non-Christian.

The events of today - that confirmed my need to share...
Today, my day was proceeding as normal...and then it happened. A screen appeared telling me I had a new e-mail. "Breaking News: A local High School has been placed on lockdown". Being an aunt of high schoolers in the area - I instantly opened the e-mail for more details...hoping it wouldn't contain the name of "my" high schoolers place of education. To my dismay - it did. It said that the school where my niece and nephew attend had in fact been placed in lockdown - details were not confirmed, but it was speculated that a fight had broken out inside the building. My heart fell to my toes. I was instantly trying to get more details...Why? What EXACTLY is going on? Are they safe? I called my sister-in-law (their mother)...no answer. I called my brother (their father)...no answer. I called my parents who live directly behind the school...my Dad answered, I told him what I had read online - he said he heard police helicopters flying above the school/neighborhood. I told him I'd keep him posted. Upon hanging up the phone - I grabbed my cell phone to send a text to my niece and nephew..."are you okay? i just read the breaking news about the lockdown. i love you". They aren't to use their cell phones in school - but I found this to be one of those exceptions to the rule situations...it was an emergency! Soon I received a text from my nephew..."i'm okay. i love you too". Through a series of text messages with him - I realized my niece was also okay and that two seperate, yet related fights had occurred. I knew that neither of them were involved in these fights - but when a fight is large enough to close an entire school, you have to wonder about their safety. The fights included two girls, one of whom is pregnant and the other girl was continuously hitting the pregnant girl in the stomach. The boyfriend of the pregnant girl and the brother of the other girl - then go into a fight because of the previous fight. During the process of this fight - one of students ended up in a trophy/art display case with severe lacerations to his head (exact details of how the young man ended up in the display case are not confirmed). Therefore, requiring the police and paramedics to be sent to the school. Apparently these fights occurred in the hallways, and both my niece and nephew saw the fights - the niece saw the females fighting and the nephew saw the boys fighting. As an aunt that is so scary to me - that they were that close to something so violent. Thank God that they were safe and He protected them.

Sadly this situation could happen anywhere - in any school...public, private, inner city, suburban, low income or higher income schools. I mean it could happen at the store, library or any public place. In this case, it happened to be a public school - some would consider it inner city...I would consider it a mix of inner city low income to not at all inner-city middle class students. But the demographic of the school is neither here nor there.

And now the controversy begins...
My concern is why is this continuing to be an issue in schools ALL across this country. Predominately in public schools - while the possibility of it happening in a private school is there..very rarely do you hear about it - maybe the media keeps it closed lip...I don't know. But back to the concern at hand...I've wondered this for some time now - WELL before today. Yes, it has been 16 years since I attended a public high school - and things have changed. The rampage of violence was just starting to really enter the schools when I graduated from high school in 1994 - only two or three years before Columbine, and similar tragic forms of violence in public schools. In 1994 the majority of students still respected themselves, others, their authority and their parents - for the most part. So why so much change in a fairly brief time? Why is there so much hatred, violence, and sin in our schools? That in turn, also spreads into most aspects of our society - as the teens turn into adults. Public schools are not the only place where I have seen a change during this time. In the last 16 years I've started to see a trend in the Christian realm that I think has played a role in this scary and sad situation. MANY Christian parents are taking their children out of the public schools in droves. They are choosing to homeschool or sent them to private secular or christian schools. And quiet frankly this trend frightens me. We are beyond the brink of losing entire generations of children to the enemy - we are on the verge of losing an entire country to the enemy. Yet so many Christians are okay with that truth...they probably won't come out to say those exact words, but their actions are speaking louder than their words. Why is this? Is it because they are not confident in the foundation of faith they have provided for their children to survive in a public school atmosphere? Is it because they feel their children are above the non-christian student? Is it because they don't want their child exposed to the real world of other children their age? These are just some of the reasons I've come up with - that MIGHT cause them to remove their children from a mission field that is vast and in need of a Savior. Have the truths of Matthew 5:13-14 been forgotten? We are the salt in a world that is in DESPERATE need of being salted, and light to a world that gets darker by the day. Yes, we continue to offer a week of VBS in the summer, or a weekly children's program that teaches bible verses and Christian truths. Both with the HOPE that non-churched or non-christian children will come...learn about Christ and get saved. But after that we have NO follow through outside of our church walls. We send them back into their world - not providing them with other Christian students in their schools...where they spend the majority of their time from 5 years old until graduation. We leave them with no one to stand up against the teachings of evolution; no one to protest the acceptance of homosexuality (a raging trend in high school girls); no one to show love and compassion to those who come from broken homes or homes rattled by abuse (physical, mental, sexual, verbal, and substance)...and other issues that we would never even consider discussing in VBS or a weekly children's club. Sadly, the fact of the matter is these are real life issues that our children and teens are facing in America. Issues that we can't turn our eyes from (any longer), yet who is going to reach them? Who is going to be their salt or light - when we remove the salt and light from them? Who is going to tell them about Christ? Who is going to hear their cry for help, when no one is there? Are we as Christians really willing to lose these precious lives to the lies and deceit of the devil...seriously? Yes, we could try to reach them when they are an adult...but that's hoping they make it that far? That they are even open to the Lord as an adult. Statistics show that the chances of coming to Christ during adulthood decrease drastically...yes it happens, but why are we willing to allow them to wait so long to experience the beauty of Salvation? What if we don't have that long?

Sadly through the years our government has removed God from our schools - no prayer in schools; no coach/teacher lead prayers at school functions/sporting events or bible based organizations (students can lead however); not allowing the name of Jesus to be mentioned, even by a student, during a graduation prayer. So instead of Christians standing up and still allowing God to have a presence in the school via our students...many Christians have decided to take the easy road and have removed their student. Therefore, taking a large presence of God out of the school - leaving Satan to have full reign in our schools. Instead of keeping their children in public schools and fighting to keep Creationism in the curriculum - they decide to remove their student and allow non-Christian students to be taught Evolution - never being exposed to the truth, even through a conversation with a Chrisitan student about the subject. Instead of keeping their children in public schools, having their student involved - being a leader in and out of the classroom, and the parents becoming involved postive influences or role models to a non-Christian world - they decide to seclude themselves and their children from this unique approach of reaching this demographic. Who will be Jesus to these students, these families? Who will invite the student to church, youth group, etc.? How will a non-christian learn about Christ - his gift of grace, forgiveness, unconditional love and salvation - if no one is there to live it out DAILY...some one their age, someone that they can relate to personally? Oh the truth of this issue breaks my heart, and has recently driven me to my knees...asking for both direction of how I personally can help get this mission field back, and for forgiveness of where I've failed - of when I've been silent as it relates to this topic.

Let me clarify that I'm not againist offering the programs mentioned above - I'm truly not. We must be creative (now more than ever) in our approach and sometimes that means incorporating a program. I am, however, against the fact that we are okay with relying solely on programs to reach a specific group, not building personal relationships and not allowing a child/teen to be a vessel to be used by God to reach another child/teen. Christ didn't use programs (solely) - he used and continues to use PEOPLE.

Before you judge what I've just shared - let me tell you some things I realize...
1. Teachers can be used to reach students.
2. Children be used to reach other children in their neighborhood - outside a school environment.
3. God is able to bring someone to Him through various means.
4. God can use the life of one person to reach many.
5. Not all Christians are pulling their students out of public schools.

Again, I'm not looking to debate...everyone has and is entitled their opinion on this topic. I'm just sharing my concern of a trend that my perception sees occurring, and how it is aiding in destructively impacting a mission field that is right in our front yard.

Please feel free to comment, share your opinions - but please respect my opinion and don't bash or debate. Rather pray about how you can personally help in pointing a non-Christian child/teen to Christ.