As many of you know, I am pursuing my Master of Divinity at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. This last semester I decided to take a nice tall drink of Elementary Greek. The class was very rigorous and demanding. The language is highly inflected and demands that one memorize many paradigms and rules for translation. I spent at 2-3 hours a day memorizing vocabulary and doing translation work. Needless to say, I invested a lot of time and energy into the class. So much so, my children probably know as much as I do by mere osmosis.
Last week I inquired about my grades. I had spoken to a friend of mine that was in the class and he said that the grades were posted. When I came home from work I pulled my laptop out and logged on to my ecampus account. After negotiating through the website to find the grade page, I finally saw the fruit of my labor; a B+.
Getting a B+ in Greek is not bad. All things considered, a B+ is a good grade. I know that there were students in the class who did not do as well. However, I struggle with getting anything less than an A and with all of the work and effort I put in the class, I thought for sure I would pull off at least a low A. I was a bit disappointed.
Actually, I pouted a bit and sulked over dinner. I gazed off into space wallowing in my self pity. I even pushed aside my dinner and put my head in my hands. My wife tried to encourage me with accolades of my achievement, especially working and managing a family while going to school. However, my daughter was not as inspiring in her words to me. In fact, they were down right penetrating.
As Stacy finished her words of encouragement, there fell an moment of silence. My head was still in my hands and my mind was still wrestling with the disappointment. And then the silence broke with a soft voice....
"You know daddy, the bible says that you need to trust in the Lord with all of your heart, and lean not on your own understating; in all your ways acknowledge him and he will direct your path." (Proverbs 3:5-6)
A soft voice turned into a thunderous rebuke. Oh how the Lord can take the mouth of a babe to speak such a glorious truth. She was right. I was not trusting the Lord and I was not acknowledging in all my ways. His grace held me all the way through Greek and a B+ is what I was to have.
The silence at the table grew thick. I kept my head in my hands, mostly out of embarrassment while my wife looked at me with smirk. Naomi continued eating her dinner occasionally gazing at me with a raised eyebrows as if she was waiting for me to say something. Finally, I had to acknowledge her.
I told her she was right (humbling) and that I was sorry for the way I acted (even more humbling). I thanked her for the the scripture.
It is an interesting thing to teach your children scripture. Part of me is proud of her for remembering the word of God and using in the the right context. Another part of me is perplexed that what I have taught her is used to rebuke me. Such an interesting dichotomy.
In the end I glorify God. He is such an amazing God. Only he has the wisdom to rebuke his servant in such a gentle and powerful manner as through a child. I praise him for putting a desire in Stacy and I to teach our children his word. Little did I know that I would eat of its fruit so soon.
Last week I inquired about my grades. I had spoken to a friend of mine that was in the class and he said that the grades were posted. When I came home from work I pulled my laptop out and logged on to my ecampus account. After negotiating through the website to find the grade page, I finally saw the fruit of my labor; a B+.
Getting a B+ in Greek is not bad. All things considered, a B+ is a good grade. I know that there were students in the class who did not do as well. However, I struggle with getting anything less than an A and with all of the work and effort I put in the class, I thought for sure I would pull off at least a low A. I was a bit disappointed.
Actually, I pouted a bit and sulked over dinner. I gazed off into space wallowing in my self pity. I even pushed aside my dinner and put my head in my hands. My wife tried to encourage me with accolades of my achievement, especially working and managing a family while going to school. However, my daughter was not as inspiring in her words to me. In fact, they were down right penetrating.
As Stacy finished her words of encouragement, there fell an moment of silence. My head was still in my hands and my mind was still wrestling with the disappointment. And then the silence broke with a soft voice....
"You know daddy, the bible says that you need to trust in the Lord with all of your heart, and lean not on your own understating; in all your ways acknowledge him and he will direct your path." (Proverbs 3:5-6)
A soft voice turned into a thunderous rebuke. Oh how the Lord can take the mouth of a babe to speak such a glorious truth. She was right. I was not trusting the Lord and I was not acknowledging in all my ways. His grace held me all the way through Greek and a B+ is what I was to have.
The silence at the table grew thick. I kept my head in my hands, mostly out of embarrassment while my wife looked at me with smirk. Naomi continued eating her dinner occasionally gazing at me with a raised eyebrows as if she was waiting for me to say something. Finally, I had to acknowledge her.
I told her she was right (humbling) and that I was sorry for the way I acted (even more humbling). I thanked her for the the scripture.
It is an interesting thing to teach your children scripture. Part of me is proud of her for remembering the word of God and using in the the right context. Another part of me is perplexed that what I have taught her is used to rebuke me. Such an interesting dichotomy.
In the end I glorify God. He is such an amazing God. Only he has the wisdom to rebuke his servant in such a gentle and powerful manner as through a child. I praise him for putting a desire in Stacy and I to teach our children his word. Little did I know that I would eat of its fruit so soon.
