Monday, May 16, 2005
Final Exam
This is the time of year when my students worry about their final exams in their academic classes. Two years ago when my son was in 7th grade, he had an unsettling experience with a final exam. He had just started his final exam in his social studies class when he began to get nervous. He immediately noticed that the exam questions were asking for information that he hadn’t studied for. At first he worried that it was his fault. Perhaps, as many 7th graders often do, his attention had wandered when his social studies teacher was reviewing his class for the final exam? But as he reflected he was sure he had the right study guide and he had studied the correct information for the exam.
He summoned the nerve to go up to his teacher and ask if she could help him with his dilemma. He brought the exam to her and she immediately noticed that she had given him the wrong exam! His experience makes me wonder about our spiritual final exam. If you read Matthew 25, Jesus gives Christians our “final exam.” As he separates the sheep and the goats, he doesn’t ask them about their stands on instrumental music, Lord’s Supper, worship styles, women’s role in the church, or any of the other issues that we in the Churches of Christ tend to argue and divide over. Jesus’ final exam asks did you feed the needy, did you give them water, did you show hospitality to strangers, did you give to the poor, did you visit the sick, and did you visit those that are in prisons?
Maybe like my son a few years ago, we have the wrong exam in our minds on what it means to be a servant in the Kingdom?
He summoned the nerve to go up to his teacher and ask if she could help him with his dilemma. He brought the exam to her and she immediately noticed that she had given him the wrong exam! His experience makes me wonder about our spiritual final exam. If you read Matthew 25, Jesus gives Christians our “final exam.” As he separates the sheep and the goats, he doesn’t ask them about their stands on instrumental music, Lord’s Supper, worship styles, women’s role in the church, or any of the other issues that we in the Churches of Christ tend to argue and divide over. Jesus’ final exam asks did you feed the needy, did you give them water, did you show hospitality to strangers, did you give to the poor, did you visit the sick, and did you visit those that are in prisons?
Maybe like my son a few years ago, we have the wrong exam in our minds on what it means to be a servant in the Kingdom?
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There was no ill intent on this latest blog. As Barb and I were listening to Don's sermon on this subject, we both looked at each other and commented on the incident that happened to Steven in 7th grade, in Mrs. Van Ess' World Cultures Class in Rockledge, Florida in the year 2003.
Thanks Greg.
I knew where you were going and certainly after all of the years of "You heard it hear first" cracks from our gang, I certainly had one of those coming to me. I didn't know who the other guy was and I didn't appreciate his comment.
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I knew where you were going and certainly after all of the years of "You heard it hear first" cracks from our gang, I certainly had one of those coming to me. I didn't know who the other guy was and I didn't appreciate his comment.
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