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TGIF

  • October 2, 2018
  • Posted by: Carolyn Mahal
  • Category: Devotions
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“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.” – Colossians 3:23-24

Thank God it’s Friday!

It’s a phrase that over time has become commonplace in many workplaces. Many television characters, movies, songs, and even a restaurant chain have suggested the idea that the only good thing about the work week is the end of it. Thank God it’s Friday; the weekend is here! We can stop doing the work we dislike and instead do the things we love. It’s easy to see how this idea is so popular, but is this really the best attitude to hold?

Think about how this applies within schools. Many teachers have begun to look at the practice of homework with a skeptical eye. Parents do the same thing. After all, there’s nothing worse than surviving a brutal week at work only to come home to a Saturday trip to the library to find books for a homework assignment or a weekend filled with science fair experimenting. This is NOT watching football or sipping tea over a novel! This is work on a day I was promised no work! It’s enough to make TGIF mean, “This Garbage isn’t Funny”!

The answer for some teachers is to eliminate homework on the weekends, if not all-together. It’s a win-win. The kids aren’t complaining. Parents reclaim their weekend and have fewer reasons to revive their fleeting knowledge of prime numbers, past participles, and the XYZ Affair. Even the teachers can utilize more class time for students to work on assignments under their tutelage and spend less time grading papers! Now it’s just my opinion, but it seems to me that homework avoidance sends a long-term message that work is bad. As educators, we want to instill a love of learning, hoping that will drive students to achieve greater things. Labeling homework as a bad thing can establish the idea that easier is better and may hinder a student’s desire to put in the work needed to succeed – especially if that work requires extra time, effort and perseverance. It’s enough to make TGIF mean, “This grade is Fake”!

In many ways, our school days are a microcosm of the bigger struggles of life. No, we won’t diagram sentences for a living, but being able to speak and write with greater structure is valuable. Doing homework doesn’t guarantee success in life but doing homework does teach students how to meet deadlines, prioritize time, and solve problems. Also, with the guidance of a strong teacher, students can learn to go beyond the base requirements and focus their efforts on excellence. It’s enough to make TGIF mean, “Today’s Growth, Infinitely Fruitful.”

So, what we’ve learned is that with a goal in mind and the drive to work hard, we can accomplish anything!

Well. Not exactly.

No matter how hard we try, we cannot overcome the ugliness of our sin. From the moment of Adam and Eve’s first sin, our world has become saturated in sin. We’re born into it. We suffer because of it. We use it to hurt others. We can’t eliminate it and one day, it will cost us our lives. How fortunate for us that despite our sinfulness, God has chosen to show us mercy. We have done nothing to deserve this great gift. Jesus completed this assignment for us in His own blood shed on the cross so that we’d know forgiveness, grace, and eternity with God in Heaven. It’s enough to make TGIF mean, “Through Grace I’m Forgiven”!

Whether you’re assigning the homework, doing your homework, or helping someone complete it, remember the great work done on your behalf by our Savior.

One more thing. Don’t forget to put your name on the assignment. Teacher’s hate it when you forget that.

 

Devotion by Richard Schumacher

LSEM Director of Programs & Services