Care to Pray?
For the last few days I've been feeling this weird uneasiness around my kids' school. I volunteer there quite often but something didn't seem 'right' for the last few days. I tried to ignore this because I thought it is probably nothing.
Then today I felt compelled I needed to call other Christian moms I know in the community and pray for the school. Again, I brushed it off, thinking everyone already knows we ought to pray and maybe I was making much about nothing.
Then as I chow down my morning snack I turned on the TV and saw on CNN that there had been another stabbing in the US - in a High School - with about 20 kids hurt many of them with life threatening wounds.
I usually would pour into the TV to find out more. I love news.
Today, strangely, I turned off the TV and proceeded to write an email to those mommies. I had to.
Because I knew this was God telling me - WOULD you just listen, Sandy?
Ok, Lord, I'm listening now. What's happening? What are you asking me to do? What CAN we do?
You see, I've said to God yes to praying for my community. To caring for other families and their children. To be a beacon of light here ("You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden" Matthew 5:14). To pray for the teachers and staff at my kids school - to intercede on their behalf. To care beyond the welfare of my own family.
Yet when I noticed stress, distress and challenges, I brushed them aside. I did not see it as God's way to reveal details inside the school and the people in it - my job is not to find out all the information, but to be compelled to intercede on their behalf.
When I found out a kid was suspended, instead of thinking "no wonder, I've always thought that kid had bad manners" can I instead pray for him, for his family, for whatever caused him to act in a way that was so bad that it caused the school to suspend him?
When I saw 3 cop cars in front of my kids' school, and after finding out it did not have anything to do with my kids' safety, instead of thinking "phew, ok, it's none of my business-moving on" - could I have instead prayed for the administrators and cops to have the wisdom to resolve whatever conflict caused the school to have to call the cops in?
When I saw a kid being disciplined and acting out at school, instead of just thinking "make sure my kid is safe in his/her classroom" can I also pray for this child, ask the Lord to touch his heart and for the teachers who were helping him to have the wisdom and patience with him?
When I saw one of my daughter's kindergarten classmates have a fit, instead of just thinking "man, he sure misbehaves...I wonder what kind of parents he has" could I not try to engage with him next time I have a chance, to show him love, to pray for the teachers to know how to teach him and to answer with wisdom when the rest of the class asks me, "Mrs. Lam why is he so bad?"
When in passing by the school I overheard through the loudspeaker during recess that the school was calling any teacher with first aid experience to go into the office right away, instead of just thinking "Oh no! are my kids ok?" could I not also prayed that indeed someone was able to help whoever was hurt so bad that they needed First Aid?
When I saw the administrators in the school dealing with all of this and I bet a million more things this week (yes I noticed all these things in one week), instead of just thinking "why can't they be more organized?" could I have showed some support somehow? Did I care enough to stop what I was doing and just pray for them? Do I pray that when they go home at the end of the day that they will find a way to be refreshed?
We say we want to be salt and light in our communities, but unless we are engaged in that community, and let the Lord lift up those blinders we have created so that we won't have to 'bother', how else can we be salt and light? Instead of just praying meaningless prayers like "Lord, please bless my kids' school and pray that it will be a good and safe place", do we dare to pray more aggressively, with more conviction, based on the fact that we noticed things, and really engage God through prayer?
We say we appreciate all our teachers do - and we do. But if we don't pay attention, what are we really appreciating?
And what about all the school administrators, and support staff? Do we ever thank God that someone is there to clean up our kids' messes after lunch? That someone is there to care for our kids when they feel sick? That someone is there to help an upset kid calm down? .....
You don't have to volunteer in the school to care to pray - I am blessed right now to be able to, and if you can, I encourage you to - God will bless you for reaching out. You will find out that it will humble you, teach you much more than you can give and give you a refreshed view on why and how you can be that salt and light.
If you can't, like many, don't stop caring. Don't let that be your excuse. Talk with the families you see during pick up or drop off (you are standing there anyways!) Keep communicating with your kids' teachers even when there are no problems. Find out who the administrators are by name and what they do. Ask your kids how their days went. Try to remember their friends by name. Don't be shy if you forget...you hurt no one by asking them again and again - if anything, it shows you care enough to ask!!!
And it's not about 'finding out information' - it is to be willing to let God take off those blinders we have, to engage as we are able to, to feel challenged and uncomfortable, to be compelled to care to pray on behalf of them.
Then today I felt compelled I needed to call other Christian moms I know in the community and pray for the school. Again, I brushed it off, thinking everyone already knows we ought to pray and maybe I was making much about nothing.
Then as I chow down my morning snack I turned on the TV and saw on CNN that there had been another stabbing in the US - in a High School - with about 20 kids hurt many of them with life threatening wounds.
I usually would pour into the TV to find out more. I love news.
Today, strangely, I turned off the TV and proceeded to write an email to those mommies. I had to.
Because I knew this was God telling me - WOULD you just listen, Sandy?
You see, I've said to God yes to praying for my community. To caring for other families and their children. To be a beacon of light here ("You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden" Matthew 5:14). To pray for the teachers and staff at my kids school - to intercede on their behalf. To care beyond the welfare of my own family.
Yet when I noticed stress, distress and challenges, I brushed them aside. I did not see it as God's way to reveal details inside the school and the people in it - my job is not to find out all the information, but to be compelled to intercede on their behalf.
When I found out a kid was suspended, instead of thinking "no wonder, I've always thought that kid had bad manners" can I instead pray for him, for his family, for whatever caused him to act in a way that was so bad that it caused the school to suspend him?
When I saw 3 cop cars in front of my kids' school, and after finding out it did not have anything to do with my kids' safety, instead of thinking "phew, ok, it's none of my business-moving on" - could I have instead prayed for the administrators and cops to have the wisdom to resolve whatever conflict caused the school to have to call the cops in?
When I saw a kid being disciplined and acting out at school, instead of just thinking "make sure my kid is safe in his/her classroom" can I also pray for this child, ask the Lord to touch his heart and for the teachers who were helping him to have the wisdom and patience with him?
When I saw one of my daughter's kindergarten classmates have a fit, instead of just thinking "man, he sure misbehaves...I wonder what kind of parents he has" could I not try to engage with him next time I have a chance, to show him love, to pray for the teachers to know how to teach him and to answer with wisdom when the rest of the class asks me, "Mrs. Lam why is he so bad?"
When in passing by the school I overheard through the loudspeaker during recess that the school was calling any teacher with first aid experience to go into the office right away, instead of just thinking "Oh no! are my kids ok?" could I not also prayed that indeed someone was able to help whoever was hurt so bad that they needed First Aid?
When I saw the administrators in the school dealing with all of this and I bet a million more things this week (yes I noticed all these things in one week), instead of just thinking "why can't they be more organized?" could I have showed some support somehow? Did I care enough to stop what I was doing and just pray for them? Do I pray that when they go home at the end of the day that they will find a way to be refreshed?
We say we want to be salt and light in our communities, but unless we are engaged in that community, and let the Lord lift up those blinders we have created so that we won't have to 'bother', how else can we be salt and light? Instead of just praying meaningless prayers like "Lord, please bless my kids' school and pray that it will be a good and safe place", do we dare to pray more aggressively, with more conviction, based on the fact that we noticed things, and really engage God through prayer?
We say we appreciate all our teachers do - and we do. But if we don't pay attention, what are we really appreciating?
And what about all the school administrators, and support staff? Do we ever thank God that someone is there to clean up our kids' messes after lunch? That someone is there to care for our kids when they feel sick? That someone is there to help an upset kid calm down? .....
You don't have to volunteer in the school to care to pray - I am blessed right now to be able to, and if you can, I encourage you to - God will bless you for reaching out. You will find out that it will humble you, teach you much more than you can give and give you a refreshed view on why and how you can be that salt and light.
If you can't, like many, don't stop caring. Don't let that be your excuse. Talk with the families you see during pick up or drop off (you are standing there anyways!) Keep communicating with your kids' teachers even when there are no problems. Find out who the administrators are by name and what they do. Ask your kids how their days went. Try to remember their friends by name. Don't be shy if you forget...you hurt no one by asking them again and again - if anything, it shows you care enough to ask!!!
This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says to all the captives he has exiled to Babylon from Jerusalem: 5 “Build homes, and plan to stay. Plant gardens, and eat the food they produce. 6 Marry and have children. Then find spouses for them so that you may have many grandchildren. Multiply! Do not dwindle away! 7 And work for the peace and prosperity of the city where I sent you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, for its welfare will determine your welfare.” Jeremiah 29: 4-7
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