Over the last two weeks we’ve had three different candidates on campus who would like to be the next high school principal at CVC. We hope to soon have that selection made and the process completed. One topic often comes up during conversations and interviews. In one case the candidate asked the interviewing team to describe the students and the community at CVC. In all of the interviews, I turned that question around and asked each potential new principal to give us the words he would use to describe the school and student body he would like to lead.
How would you answer? How would you describe yourselves? As a student body, are you welcoming? Are you hard working? Are you friendly, happy? Are you studious? Are you athletic? Are you loving? Or do other words describe you better? Are you arrogant, entitled, and quarrelsome? Which is it? Are you rebellious or are you obedient? What are the words you would use to describe yourself and your classmates?
If I were interviewing for the job and were asked to describe the community of students to which I was connected, I would use the words I found in today’s text. I would tell the interviewing committee, “I want my student body to be blameless and pure. I want them to do everything without complaining or arguing. I want them to be children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved world. I want them to be in that dark world, shining as stars in the universe as they hold out the word of life – in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing.” I can almost see the faces of the interviewing team as the members collectively think, “Yeah, right. Good luck with that!”
Yet, hear again the words from Paul to the church he loves. With these words, God also instructs us on living the life He wants us to live.
Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life – in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing. Philippians 2:14 – 16
I often think and pray about that as I stand out in the parking lot and watch you leave – sometimes at the end of the day and sometimes just for lunch on Thursdays. “God, fill them with your Spirit. May they acknowledge your love and forgiveness. May they ‘work out their salvation,’ even now as they leave this campus. Father, in a crooked and depraved world, may they shine like stars.”
You don’t, however, have to leave campus to shine like a star. Unfortunately, this campus can sometimes resemble the crooked and depraved generation of which Paul speaks. We do have stars that shine, though, and many of you can identify them. The other day, a 9th grade boy acknowledged a classmate with these words, “I have never heard him say anything bad to or about anyone.” That is impressive. How many of our close friends can say that about us. The comment made me think of my favorite Old Testament character, Daniel. Daniel’s enemies said this about him, “We will never find any basis for charges against this man, unless it has to do with the law of his God.” His enemies said that!
Many of you have never served a detention, so you don’t know about the detention form that must be filled out while doing your time. On that form, I always ask the inmate to tell me about a student, a classmate, who has been observed doing an excellent job of loving his or her neighbor. Some of the regulars just look around the room and name the person who is sitting in the next desk, but many students take that exercise very seriously. I enjoy reading the results. The answers remind me that there are many students on this campus who take seriously the call to live exemplary lives – students who understand and live out the command to love their neighbor. It’s also good to know that others notice. They notice and appreciate their classmates who have the courage to resist pressure, the strength to do and say the right thing, the desire to shine like stars in a universe that is dark.
I had to smile the other day when a sophomore girl was dropped off out front by her dad. Her last words to her father were, “Make good choices today, Dad.” A day or two later I watched this same girl and her friend part ways as they headed for their separate 3rd period classes. Once again, the sophomore offered the same wise advice to her good friend, “Make good choices.” I wondered how many times each day her parents gave their daughter that same advice.
Make good choices, CVC. Don’t complain and argue when God asks you to be blameless and pure. Shine like stars in a world that is crooked and depraved. You can do that because “it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.”
Please join me in prayer.
Father God – Do your work through us today. Speak to a hurting friend using our voices. Shine your kindness to a broken spirit using our hands. Be a companion to a lonely classmate using our presence. Thank you, Lord, for providing glimpses of shining stars among us. We ask that you would work mightily on this campus that we would brilliantly light up a dark sky as we hold out the word of life to the world around us. Help us to be the hands and feet and voice of Jesus to our world. In the name of that Savior we pray. Amen.
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