Tomorrow is the Big Day. It’s Back to School! Even if your kids’ school days are behind you, everyone is impacted by the start of a new academic year. There will be buses on the road. There will be crossing guards at intersections. School zones will have flashing lights warning us to slow down. Lots of kids will gather in groups on the streets. Parents will sing the Hallelujah Chorus. We haven’t seen any of this for two months.
Once firmly ensconced in their classrooms, these young minds will again be directed in their learning of the three “R”s: reading, writing, and ‘rithmetic. They are no longer called that. Today we use acronyms like SOR, ELD, and STEM. Fancy language, same thing. Children will learn to process information, to evaluate it, and most importantly, learn to love to learn. It becomes - hopefully - a lifelong passion, regardless of the acronym or learning channel assigned to it.
Not everyone is a book learner. I admire those people who can look at something and intuitively figure out how to make it work. If that individual thrives in the arts, we call them a prodigy. Sadly, the same kind of honour is not bestowed on those who work with their hands. There are a lot of “prodigy” trades persons out there, people who have an exceptional aptitude with the skills of building and fixing things.
There are three men whom I admire who were “prodigies” of a different type, of a unique kind of learning. Dave, Pete, and Paul all demonstrate exceptional learning and skill. They were master craftsmen, all of whom dedicated themselves to the three “R”s: redemption, renewal, and reset. The area of their expertise was faith in God.
How did David live with himself after he slept with Bathsheba, got her pregnant, and then murdered her husband, Uriah? How did Peter live with himself after three years of careless outbursts, culminating with a denial of the Son of God? How did Paul live with himself after he led campaign after campaign to persecute - presumably murder - the early followers of Jesus?
All of these men were schooled by the Spirit of God in the three “R”s of faith. David pours his heart out in Psalm 51, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me” (Psa. 51:10 ESV). Peter expressed his transformation this way, “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ” (2 Pet. 3:18 ESV). Here is Paul’s confession, “But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:13-14 ESV).
They make it sound so easy.
Take a moment this week to read each of those statements in their larger context. All three of them describe the inherent struggle associated with living by faith, enduring hardship, learning to be patient. Those stressors were not exclusively external. These prodigies of faith struggled with their inner world as well.
In reality, it is difficult to separate out the units of learning from one another. Whether in the classroom or in life, you cannot learn one of the “R”s without an understanding of all of them. The amazing work God does for us and in us is equally complex. Redemption, renewal, and reset are all integral parts of the larger idea of forgiveness. Since it is based on grace, God’s forgiveness doesn’t just blot out the transgressional record of sin. It also restores us, realigns us, and is used by God to accomplish His purposes.
Does that mean sin inherently has good value? Obviously not (read Romans 6). It does mean that the worst of our worst does not place limitations on God IF we come to Him in authentic, humble repentance. Does it mean that we will escape the collateral damage sin can cause? Again, no. Even that is no obstacle to God’s grace. Often sinful choices will have consequences we must accept. Believe it or not, even that is insufficient to derail or override God’s grace.
Embracing redemption, renewal, and reset is a life-faith skill we learn AS we also learn the truth-faith skill of God’s mercy and compassion, desire for relationship, and undeniable, constant goodness. I love Psalm 119:65-68:
You have dealt well with your servant,
O LORD, according to your word.
Teach me good judgment and knowledge,
for I believe in your commandments.
Before I was afflicted I went astray,
but now I keep your word.
You are good and do good;
teach me your statutes. (Psa. 119:65-68 ESV)
Let’s go back to faith-school, committing to learning to love learning of God’s faithfulness to forgive.
