Not another essay for English class. More Trigonometry homework questions due this Tuesday and the Lab report for Organic Chemistry is due tomorrow. Uggh.
Your group PowerPoint presentation on the Cold War for Modern History is going nowhere. Your group is still squabbling over finding a convenient time to work on the assignment together, and you’ve been lumped with Larry “The Lummox” who is the dead weight in the group. (Somebody find the Panadol, please.)
And you have to remember to put your sports uniform in the wash because there’s another round of Fitness Testing this Thursday.
Plus, you’d better find time to practice ‘Fur Elise’ for the clarinet practical assessment otherwise it’s an ‘F’ for music class.
As mascot for your House, you’re still figuring out the choreography for the house chant. And did the mascot costume mysteriously shrink overnight? It did feel rather snug around the waist line.
Plus, you’ve been nominated to design the banner for your camp team this year.
You’re beginning to wonder whether the ancient Egyptian slaves that hauled all those slabs of stone to build the pyramids, had it better than you.
You’ve never felt the bite of a whip on your back, but your teachers inflict never ending suffering by handing out a constant stream of new assessment tasks.
And why, oh why, do all the assignments feel like they’re due on the same week?
So much work and so little time.
The benefits from working
In Proverbs 14:23a it says, In all labour there is profit.
We understand that receiving money is a reward for labour, but we can benefit from work in many other ways as well.
Here are just a few skills and benefits from all that school work.
Writing English essays— written communication, logical reasoning, research skills, persuasion techniques, building sound arguments.
Trigonometry homework—spatial and problem solving skills.
Lab reports for Science—critical thinking and analysis, independent learning.
Group PowerPoint Presentation for history—Team work, verbal communication, visual aesthetics, conflict resolution, leadership, motivational techniques, interpersonal skills.
Washing your sports uniform—time management, courtesy, good hygiene, enhanced attractiveness to the opposite sex (because you smell so fresh and clean.) Yay!
Clarinet practice—discipline, musical appreciation, right lobe brain stimulation, creativity.
Mascot choreography—physical agility, stamina, rhythm, co-ordination.
Designing a banner—visual artistic skills, aesthetics, time management .
Not to mention the broad knowledge base you receive from exposure to different subjects.
The training you receive in school should help you to make a positive contribution to society when you enter the work force.
God’s image bearers
Clues from our Creator
Elective subjects reveal your interests and your God given gifts. Perhaps you have a flair for design, an ear for music, a love for miniscule life forms that can only be viewed under the strongest microscope, fantastic hand eye coordination, or a silver tongue to argue your way out of getting an afternoon detention. Maybe you have the ability to calculate complex physics problems in your head.
In Genesis, we find that at the close of each day of creation, God sat back and had a good look at what he made.
He enjoyed the entire process of designing, expending energy, producing, adding beauty to form and function before declaring that his work, his creation was good.
It brought God joy.
God’s character and personality are freely expressed in His creation— in his work.
He formed man out of the dust of the earth and crowned him with glory and honour.
He gave Adam meaningful work—to tend and keep the Garden of Eden. Adam was the first horticulturist, landscape designer and gardener. Adam had dominion over the animals as well—and as the first zoologist, he thought up a name for every creature.
God enjoys work; we should too.
There should be a sense of accomplishment, fulfilment, achievement and joy in a job well done. There are also psychological rewards for using the talents entrusted to us to magnify his name. (Not just the satisfaction of seeing a column of ‘A’s on our report cards.)
We need to be productive otherwise depression sets in when we have nothing meaningful to do.
Help other students
Helping other classmates benefits the student body.
Practice now to serve with joy and compassion.
The positive flow on effects will continue well into adulthood. Especially if you have plans to be in the service industry e.g. health care, tourism, teaching etc.
We should help students who are genuinely struggling in their work. Be wise. Use discernment. Don’t help those who are moochers or are just plain lazy. They’re capable of doing the work themselves.
Sacrifice and serve in the name of Christ out of love.
Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. Matt 25:40b
For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have showed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints and do minister. Hebrews 6:10
Pursue Excellence for the Glory of God
As Christians our work should reflect God’s glory as His image bearers.
From stitching cloth for textiles class, to stitching words together for English; from searching for answers to algebra problems, to searching for a friend’s lost school jumper; from building a 3D scale model of a working lighthouse, to building lifelong friendships; from designing a menu for Food Tech, to designing a website in Technology class—remember work has always been part of God’s design.
Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. 1 Cor 10:31
Bibliography
Compolo, T. 1986, Who Switched the Price Tags?,Word Publishing, Dallas.
Hybels, B. 1993, Christians in the Marketplace, Hodder & Stoughton, London.
Piper, J. 2003, Don’t Waste Your Life, Crossways, Illinois.
Hey Miss,
This was another great post!
It’s always good to be remind why we are at school and why we need to put in our best!
Can’t wait for the next one! ????????
Thanks Dim,
I know you’ll work hard in the middle of Assessment weeks. 🙂