Dear TRA Families,
As you know, our most important core value as a school is that we aim to be thoroughly Christian in all aspects of life and learning here at TRA. I’ve always been deeply moved and passionate about this value as a school. In some ways, it’s been my personal calling since becoming a Christian at the age of 17. But I would say that now, more than ever, this value of giving kids an education marinated in the Christian faith is paramount.
We live in a world riddled with uncertainty. What will happen with the virus? Will a loved one get sick? Will I have a job after October 18th? What will come of the political polarization occuring in our country? When will the supply chain issues resolve? When will life go back to normal? These—and many other questions—have forced us in a place of genuine uncertainty over the last 18 months. And while we had hoped to be past all of this by now, we are suddenly being thrust into a new wave of uncertainties that may be more troubling than the first wave.
How do we move forward amidst all of this uncertainty? That is a question I have been asking myself recently, and every time I begin to fret, I return to one of my favorite Psalms. In Psalm 37, King David has this to tell us:
“1 Fret not yourself because of evildoers;
be not envious of wrongdoers!
2 For they will soon fade like the grass
and wither like the green herb.
3 Trust in the Lord, and do good;
dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.
4 Delight yourself in the Lord,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.
5 Commit your way to the Lord;
trust in him, and he will act.”
I’m compelled by two lines in particular from this Psalm. The first is in verse 3, “Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.” We are in this land - and truth be told - we didn’t pick it. We didn’t get to choose these circumstances, yet nevertheless, it is the land (figuratively and literally) that all of us are living in. So what do we do? Trust, do good, befriend faithfulness. Now, that I can do...albeit imperfectly. I can show up and be faithful. I can do my best to do good while living in this land that I did not pick.
The second comes in verse 5, where David encourages us to “commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and HE will act.” By me showing up, being faithful, and doing good, God WILL act. The burden isn’t on me. By entrusting myself to HIM in faithful service, I can trust Him to do the heavy lifting on my behalf.
Why do I write this to you today? First, because I needed the reminder. Second, the heavy heart I’m weighted down with today got me thinking about children. Mine, but yours too. How will they cope with these uncertainties? How will they make sense of a world which has been tipped off its axis? The answer is simple; they will cope and make sense the same way we will: by learning to trust, do good, and befriend faithfulness.
And how will they learn to trust and do good? They will learn in your homes, around your dinner tables, and in their classrooms every hour of every day. As I wandered the halls today, I overheard more than one class reciting a verse from Scripture and I couldn’t help but be filled with thanksgiving. Thank you, God, that my children are growing up in an environment where their teachers are regularly reminding them the value of Scripture, where prayer is a central part of every day learning, and where all things are taught to them with YOU at the center, not removed or on the periphery. What a gift!
How will our children lead in a world riddled with uncertainty? My prayer is that they will lead with Christian faithfulness, that they will dwell in the land and do good, that they will befriend faithfulness in whatever calling God gives them. And by doing so, He will act. He will use them to accomplish his good purposes.
Here at TRA, we are aiming to educate the next generation of Christian leaders. We’re so grateful all of you have joined us on this all-important mission!
Have a blessed week,
Eric
