Mt. Rushmore, SD 2004: If students can visit national monuments and take smiling souvenir photos with former Presidents, why can’t they hear the present-day words and admonitions of a sitting President? Good question!
From Trent Ling:
Yesterday, President Obama delivered a 14-minute speech to students at Wakefield High School in Arlington, VA. A live video feed of the speech was made available across the country to students in grades K-12 who were fortunate enough to be given the opportunity to watch it. Some schools, some politicians, and some parents balked at the idea, and needlessly and nervously interfered, of course.
Controversy has brewed for some time over this impending yet innocent speech aimed directly at students. Sadly, in this present political climate, consensus is a thing of the past even on simple matters. I offer two lifelines for those perplexed and opposed to the President’s overture: 1) He’s the President! and 2) Parent, Parents!
He’s the President!
“Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king.” 1 Peter 2:17.
Unless you’re one of those phonies who discriminately selects his bible verses to fit his own whims and arguments, the indisputable verse above, and the crushing heavenly verdicts of Romans 13:1-7, dictate that President Obama is the President. He is not some political hack grubbing for votes, nor is he worthy of scornful suspicion, biblically. Despite the unfortunate continuation of sour grapes from political losers, Obama is the President! He can talk to America and its students!
Kids study Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, and Kennedy largely without objection or interference. But today, these same kids cannot receive a live video feed from the sitting President who wants to address them directly about them? These students’ eventual children can and will study and read about President Obama in 20 years; but these students themselves cannot hear from President Obama today? Even as an aside, Obama’s transformative rise to the White House demands rapt attention and diligent scholarship. As the bible implores us regularly to know something (“wake up” and “pay attention” and “remember” and “learn”), we should all be soaking up all of this!
Wasn’t President George W. Bush reading to schoolchildren on September 11, 2001? And, wasn’t he criticized only for not immediately ceasing the elementary school story in order to deal with the terrorist attacks? Didn’t his father, President George H.W. Bush, also address students in the same fashion as President Obama did yesterday? Didn’t President Ronald Reagan also likewise address students even before the elder Bush?
Clearly the poison of politics now masquerades as concern, wisdom, and care-taking. Fortunately, for those with bibles that are followed, this season and all seasons are easily seen, understood, and navigated.
Parent, Parents!
That’s Parent (verb), Parents (noun)!
Honestly, if Hitler, or the Boogeyman, or Satan himself, were addressing schoolchildren, the only cause for alarm would be the near non-existence of parents who correctly handle the truth of God’s word to disarm such evildoers and their scheming words. From time immemorial, followers of God are to “fear no evil.” Psalm 23:4. So, what’s all the fuss about? Parent, parents!
What a bonus if kids were to come home talking about what happened at school yesterday. In a worst case scenario, a parental opportunity would be afforded to take the sword of the bible to all of what was spoken about and actually help your kids as you “bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.” Ephesians 6:4. Disciples of Jesus rise to these occasions. They do not cower and melt in fear, confusion, and mass hysteria.
Do any of these protesting parents really know who is actually teaching their kid’s classes this year? Some of the weirdest people teach school. For me, I would almost say “the weirder the teacher, the better.” I prefer a gamut of teachers from the “5-star Generals” to the wildly opinionated to the lively animated, to the calloused and unfair. The Scriptures call for us to “test everything.” 1 Thessalonians 5:21. Therefore, whatever we believe or wherever we stand, let it be tested by the best and brightest, the “wrongest” and the “rightest.” Neither the bible nor its followers fear anyone saying anything to anybody.
Do these moaning parents and their glitterati really prefer to indoctrinate their own little ones, micromanaging their educations, and somehow expecting to deliver them, accordingly? What an odd fight to pick against God who completely disagrees with all of that. Our children must ultimately enter through the narrow gate; and riding through on someone else’s shoulders is not an option. Matthew 7:13-14. Furthermore, nobody (not even our children) can come to the Father except through Christ; and hiding in your suitcase en route is also not an option. John 14:6. So, our kids must survive education as they must somehow survive life. On their own, they will have to seek God in order to pass muster at the gate and follow the Way. Parents, help with this part of their lives!
Even well documented gaffer, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, made appropriate light of the controversy, calling it the “silly season.” These days, when even Mr. Gibbs easily hits it out of the park, others should seriously reconsider their obviously flawed stands.
The Speech
In his fourteen minutes, President Obama actually challenged the students of the country like any good parent or teacher should. Despite all of the programs, efforts, and monies spent on education, the President compellingly let the students know that none of it would matter “unless all of you fulfill your responsibilities. Unless you show up… Unless you pay attention… Unless you listen… and put in the hard work it takes to succeed.”
He implored them that they must “train for it, work for it, and learn for it.” He appealed, “Let your failures teach you.” And, he admonished them that they’ve “got to practice.”
Commendably, the President could not be accused of saying to these students what their itching ears may have wanted to hear. It was refreshing to see a public figure address people for their own good and tell them what they needed to hear, avoiding the false teacher markings of 2 Timothy 4:3.
In light of the flawless and engaging speech, are the President’s detractors ashamed of themselves? Or, do some really still have more to say on a topic long crying out for unanimity?
Once again, may we all become like children and stop knowing so much!
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