I've been working this week to select the recipients for my end of the year awards at school. Some are selected by meeting a certain criteria, and some are selected at my discretion.
It's hard, this task of choosing who deserves which honor. In my eyes, they're all deserving of an honor in one sense or another.
I try each year, to disperse as evenly as possible. It's not that I'm a proponent of everyone gets a cookie. Sometimes, not everyone deserves the cookie.
Everyone does deserve to have their value recognized though, whether or not they happen to be high achievers or the best behaved.
Sometimes, you are amazing and still fail to fit into one of the defined categories of recognition available.
It's hard. But school rewards are a thing. A good thing. A thing to be celebrated. Just not the most important thing. Not the only thing.
As I rationalize to myself who truly worked hard for and earned each award, sometimes loathing the task before me, my mind wanders to each of their reactions.
Do they find their value in this? Will they know how very important they are to me and their classmates, if the only award they receive is their certificate of completion? Do they know that a piece of paper with the principal's signature does not define who they are now or will be in the future? Do they recognize their worth? Do they know the daily things they do, a kind word to a friend, helping someone who dropped their books, the sweet cards they made me, do they know they matter? Do they know it's the character within them that represents who they truly are? It's not how many times their names are called during the ceremony and how many certificates they stash in their book bag at dismissal time that makes them special.
I pray that they know. I hope throughout the year, they've felt the love I have for them, seen the way I admire each of them for who they are individually, I hope they know I believe in each of them and see great potential within them, no matter what type of undesirable obstacles we've faced together this year.
I'm reminded in my thoughts through the gentle whisper of the Spirit, that even my opinion of them and the value I place in them is not what defines them. Just as the opinions of others or the value others place on me doesn't define who I am. What I hope and pray I've conveyed to each of them this year is that they matter. I see them. More importantly, the Lord sees them.
As they prepare to leave me, and move on to a new teacher, I hope they will allow God's truth of who they are to eclipse every false and inaccurate perception they hold of themselves, that His truths would tear down any labels and that their young eyes would be opened to the treasure of knowing who they are in Him. That even when they aren't the best in Reading or improve their scores by a certain percentage, there is still so much great within them.
Human accolade, though uplifting as it can be, does not define who we are. Christ alone can do that. He's the only place we find true value, true security.
Work hard. Strive to be the best version of the person God made you, but not at the expense of valuing worldly recognition over finding your favor in the Lord. Whatever you do, whether in speaking or working, aim to do it all for the Lord Jesus and for His glory. Surely your reward will be great.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
It's hard, this task of choosing who deserves which honor. In my eyes, they're all deserving of an honor in one sense or another.
I try each year, to disperse as evenly as possible. It's not that I'm a proponent of everyone gets a cookie. Sometimes, not everyone deserves the cookie.
Everyone does deserve to have their value recognized though, whether or not they happen to be high achievers or the best behaved.
Sometimes, you are amazing and still fail to fit into one of the defined categories of recognition available.
It's hard. But school rewards are a thing. A good thing. A thing to be celebrated. Just not the most important thing. Not the only thing.
As I rationalize to myself who truly worked hard for and earned each award, sometimes loathing the task before me, my mind wanders to each of their reactions.
Do they find their value in this? Will they know how very important they are to me and their classmates, if the only award they receive is their certificate of completion? Do they know that a piece of paper with the principal's signature does not define who they are now or will be in the future? Do they recognize their worth? Do they know the daily things they do, a kind word to a friend, helping someone who dropped their books, the sweet cards they made me, do they know they matter? Do they know it's the character within them that represents who they truly are? It's not how many times their names are called during the ceremony and how many certificates they stash in their book bag at dismissal time that makes them special.
I pray that they know. I hope throughout the year, they've felt the love I have for them, seen the way I admire each of them for who they are individually, I hope they know I believe in each of them and see great potential within them, no matter what type of undesirable obstacles we've faced together this year.
I'm reminded in my thoughts through the gentle whisper of the Spirit, that even my opinion of them and the value I place in them is not what defines them. Just as the opinions of others or the value others place on me doesn't define who I am. What I hope and pray I've conveyed to each of them this year is that they matter. I see them. More importantly, the Lord sees them.
As they prepare to leave me, and move on to a new teacher, I hope they will allow God's truth of who they are to eclipse every false and inaccurate perception they hold of themselves, that His truths would tear down any labels and that their young eyes would be opened to the treasure of knowing who they are in Him. That even when they aren't the best in Reading or improve their scores by a certain percentage, there is still so much great within them.
Human accolade, though uplifting as it can be, does not define who we are. Christ alone can do that. He's the only place we find true value, true security.
Work hard. Strive to be the best version of the person God made you, but not at the expense of valuing worldly recognition over finding your favor in the Lord. Whatever you do, whether in speaking or working, aim to do it all for the Lord Jesus and for His glory. Surely your reward will be great.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
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