Working with teens, it is a reminder of how they are both easily distracted, but also wanting to learn. They are willing to ask questions, and this means that as adults, we should be ready to give them sound answers. And if we don’t have an answer for their questions, it is acceptable to admit we don’t know and that we can go look it up together.
This is a humble heart and a good example to teach those younger than us. Funny enough, when I asked a 6th grader if he’d seen any educational Ted Talk videos, the response I received was, “Tic Tok?” No, buddy. Not anywhere close to the same thing.
In addition, when addressing the topic of tests and cheating, we need to also understand that as Christians first, setting high standards of learning is important. This doesn’t mean that getting an A is learning. This means that the individual is simply good at test taking. The real goal is to master the materials through sound comprehension. After all, there
are stories of people who cheated their way through Lowell High School only to not succeed in college because they didn’t have a good foundation through mastery of the subjects they were to learn.
As believers, we are to master our Christian “subjects”. Our faith and walk are vital. So many Christian think that their salvation is secure, but their actions prove otherwise. Or perhaps, they’ve even convinced church leaders of their strict adherence to the Christian walk that they have attained a spiritual “A-grade” but they are living a lie. In the end, they haven’t mastered their spiritual life. This doesn’t mean that anyone who isn’t perfect as a Christian is a failure. Many spiritual giants have voiced their struggles within their own spiritual walk. The difference is, they were willing to admit their struggles and have the Lord and other believers walk with them and keep them accountable. Like the teens, let
us also have humble hearts, knowing that “the flesh is weak” (Matthew 26:41 NASB) and sin is crouching at the doorstep. Let us master our speech, lifestyles, and hearts so that our entire being is given over to the God’s leading for our individual lives so that He is the master of our lives, not ourselves—or Satan. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 6:12, “but I will not be mastered by anything”. Let’s not be mastered, even for a moment, lest we be scolded as Jesus scolded Peter, “Get behind me, Satan!” (Matthew 16:23), moments after Jesus praised Peter and said, “on this rock I will build My church” (v.18). Lord, help us to be mastered by you, so we can be good examples for others to follow! Amen.