Christ as Ultimate Educator - Craddock

“From the unfolding of the germ in the acorn to reach the sturdy oak, to the growth of a human soul into the full knowledge of and likeness of its Creator, the breadth and scope of the movement in each and all are too grand, too mysterious, too like God himself, to be encompassed and locked down into human molds.”

-Anna Julia Cooper, from The Black Intellectual Tradition

Whew! Take a deep breath. These past couple of weeks have probably been a bit of a marathon between preparations and the wealth of information that you have been trying to absorb! A new school year inherently comes with much unknown, and, if you are like me, the unknown can become a breeding ground for fear. Psalm 118:6 gives us the deep exhale that our souls need.

“The LORD is with me, I will not be afraid.”

I need the reminder, and maybe you do too. This is such a simple truth, and yet one that bears repeating - over and over and over. God is going to do a great work among us this year. And I think therein lies the key - God himself is the one who is going to do it. Our job as Christian, classical educators is humble obedience. It’s the showing up, day after day, week after week, year after year. It’s the commitment to finding joy in the mundane. But the results are not up to us. How could they be? As Anna Julia Cooper notes above, the “growth of a human soul” is “too grand, too mysterious” to be our own work. 

I pray that we breathe a collective sigh of relief in our Classical community as we begin this school year. This work is not our own. The outcomes are not up to us. And praise God for that! His “immeasurably more” (Eph 3:20) for the hearts and minds of our children is a simple gift - one that we just have to be patient to receive. Isaiah 54:13 contains the sweetest prophecy for the redeemed descendants of the Israelites:

“All your children shall be taught by the Lord,
And great shall be the peace of your children.” 

 Take another deep breath. Let’s allow the Lord Himself to teach our children this year. I pray that you and I both are beautiful conduits of His love, wisdom, and grace to them, but that He is the one that is ultimately doing the teaching. And if that is what is occurring in our classrooms, both at school and at home, then great will be our children’s peace. And also - we have nothing to fear. 

I am honored daily to link arms with each of you in the education of our children’s precious souls. I am praying earnestly for each of you and for them in the days and months ahead!

“Large streams from little fountains flow, tall oaks from little acorns grow.”  - David Everett, 1797

 In humble surrender,
Christie Craddock