The Works of God

Next week I will be speaking to a younger crowd than usual on this subject of disability and God’s word.  My three typically-developing children attend a private Christian elementary school, and there is interest in Just the Way I Am: God’s Good Design in Disability.  I’ll be speaking at their regular Friday chapel, which includes children from kindergarten through eighth grade.

It has been a good school for us.  Their theme this year has been “Do Hard Things” and their weekly chapel services have included some of the video series that Alex and Brett Harris created to go along with their book of the same name.  Their school verse for the year has been 2 Timothy 2:2, “Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.”

But there are other issues at play.  Recently a third-grade girl was teased by some boys because her baby brother has Down syndrome.  The word ‘retarded’ was thrown at her repeatedly in cruel ways.  The principal dealt with it personally, and my third-grade son and sixth-grade daughter took their own initiative to address it with their friends.  That was helpful, but that girl, and her rightfully-protective mother, were already deeply hurt.

So, it feels like an opportune moment that God has given.  High expectations about student behavior and attitudes have been communicated, but the cruelty of sinful, willful, prideful young hearts has also been revealed.  And it was revealed because of attitudes about disability.

Prayers would be greatly appreciated as I prepare for next week’s event.  Ultimately, I would consider it a failure if they only understood some words are not acceptable or that they will get in trouble if they use certain words in the presence of adults.  Treasuring Jesus is so much more important than that!