Wise Words With...

Dear friends, now we are children of God. We have not yet been shown what we will be in the future. But we know that when Christ comes again, we will be like him. We will see him just as he is.

1John 3:2

Last week was Perseverance Week. Throughout the week, class devotions helped us explore how to persevere by trusting in God's strength and faithfully continue our race even when things get tough.

The really interesting thing about perseverance is the journey people go through to overcome a challenge or adversity. For example, Ole Kirk Christiansen, the founder of LEGO, experienced severe adversity and applied great perseverance before eventually achieving his goal.

Like Kirk Christiansen, we persevere when we have a valued goal, and we hope that, with enough effort, we will achieve our goal. 

But is the journey just a means to an end? In other words, is the journey itself worth anything? 

Currently, some Year 3 students are learning to sew. The goal is to complete a cute, yeti felt creature. Along the way, there are lots of knots, unthreaded needles, pricked fingers and a few frustrated exhales as students come to terms with the challenge of this journey.

In this case, the goal isn’t merely having a fluffy felt yeti. The task is really about the journey. This is because, guided by staff, students are growing in character as they sew. By the end of the journey, each student is a different person from before. Sure, they have learnt some rudimentary sewing skills, but more importantly, they have grown in character.

Book Week Parade is around the corner! Over the next few days, parents, students and staff will rummage through cupboards and op-shop shelves looking for the perfect outfit of a favourite character (a journey in perseverance on its own). Each of these characters will have their own journey to achieve a goal. A good story will show how the character has changed for the better throughout the book.

Christian’s believe that we are all part of a ‘bigger’ story told in the Bible. It claims that living for this reality as we currently know the world is temporary. Whatever is achieved and however it changes us will pass away. Jesus calls us to something greater. As the passage at the beginning from 1 John says, he will appear again and when he does everything will be changed, including his children.

The Bible calls those who follow Jesus God’s children. At times, we will struggle through the changes and chances of this life, but when Jesus returns we will discover how we have changed: We will be like Him. Alive forever in his glorious new creation. Now that is a goal worth having and a journey worth pursuing!