LEAven Blog

Remember the book I’m Okay, You’re Okay? Okay, so you must have a little age on you to remember, or if you have too much age on, you probably can’t remember. But that’s okay. (I always wanted to write a sequel to that best seller—something like I’m Okay, But There is Something Wrong With You.) Instead, I came across this while fruitlessly foraging for Noah 6:8… “Thus says the Lord of hosts: “Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you, filling you with vain hopes. They speak visions of their own minds, not from the mouth of the Lord” (Jer. 23:16 ESV).

While Scripture’s topic directs its warning relative to false doctrine, you can consider the words written for you as a teacher—a teacher of many things: content areas, attitudes, behaviors, philosophies, and the like.

While it’s tempting to think that the world has changed much since Jeremiah’s day, the truth is that a lot hasn’t changed. Same old sins, just more “advanced” manifestations of them. Sadly, the education world not only suffers from them but often boldly suffers them as legitimate curriculum!

It’s not okay.

And that’s why you’re doing what you’re doing.

You’ll have to take a pass on popularity among colleagues who refute the Bible’s reliability on creation, even though it takes just as much faith to believe evolution as it does God’s creative genius and power. And it’s not okay to teach that all religions are equal just to defuse tensions that might erupt when students of other faiths go home and tell their parents they want to be baptized.

It’s not okay to present unbiblical lifestyles and social and personal worldviews as lifestyle improvements and entitlements or to rush through teaching the Sixth Commandment because of relationships common among some families that you serve—and perhaps even like. It’s not okay to teach that abortion is a God-approved entitlement about life decisions, nor is it okay to teach that retaliation at any level of violence against those who don’t agree with you is okay. And it’s not okay just because the government permits it and celebrities endorse it; you’ll need to teach students about biblically sound personal decision-making.

It’s not okay to skimp on integrating faith and Scripture, even if you are very busy, even if you didn’t graduate from one of the Concordias, even if you think it’s the pastor’s job to teach “religious” matters. Many things are not okay to teach. And that’s why you’re doing what you’re doing.

Most of all, it’s not okay not to teach and offer forgiveness of sins, earned through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. No matter how bad the sin. Even for the kid in the third row who regularly practices sign language on you. Even for the Christians who think you’re not as good a Christian as they. Even for the anti-school congregation members and the board member on whose agenda you’re a regular.

The only way you ARE okay is because Jesus took away your sins and made you right with God. And it’s not okay to keep that a secret!

Be sure to tell your students why they’re okay too.