High School Chapel

My Passion

Teaching is my passion.  I love it.  I can't imagine not teaching or learning something new each day.  I love to research, I love to write, I love my students, and I loved my classroom and "home" school Timothy Christian School in Piscataway.  I try to make myself available at least once a year, if not more times to speak in chapel to the students.

Most of whom I have had as third or fourth graders or some I have taught when I was subbing when Julia was a year old.  This week I will be speaking with the high schoolers.  The seniors are near and dear to my heart because I had many of them in third AND fourth grade because I looped grades that year and had pretty much the same class the following year.  

My topic this week is going to be on Choosing Godly Friends: Friend or Fool.

This topic took me awhile to put together.  At first I wanted to focus on Honor...that word kept coming to me, but I just couldn't develop it into a good enough "talk" for the teens.  I felt this friendship topic would hit home a lot better because we can all relate to having friends, and knowing godly people and knowing fools.  

I love the verse in 1 Corinthians that says: "Bad company corrupts good morals."  Choosing godly friends and being a godly friend is so important because who we associate with and how we act will affect our reputation and can truly affect our character.  I'm going to stress to the teens tomorrow through many different media examples that choosing to hang around "fools" will get you in a lot of trouble and can have lasting consequences.  

photography by Erin Nicastro Photography

This topic is so important to me because John and I have been praying for Julia, Mark, and Micah's friends since before they were born!  We know the importance and impact friends can have on a child's life.  I want my kids to be salt and light to the world, but at the same time I want them to have a close inner circle of friends who are godly, loyal, trustworthy, honest, and loving.  I want them to have friends who build them up verbally and encourage them to be all they can be (because even if parents do this at home, which we do, sometimes children listen to their peers even more than their parents).  Becoming a mom has taught me that it is my job to pray for my children and to help surround them with godly people to choose from.

Proverbs 12:26 A righteous man is cautious in friendship, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.

John even enrolled our children in Chinese school not only for the academic purpose of teaching them a 2nd language, but he felt it was so important to teach them the value of loving other cultures, investing in surrounding our kids around children whose parents value discipline, education and academics as much as we do.  

Proverbs 13: 20 Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.

I am really excited to go into the scripture and explain what a fool is to the teens.  I don't think we talk about wise/vs fool very often, and I think it is SO important to choose WISE friends.  Fools may be cunning, and crafty, and popular and beautiful, they may be attractive and witty and charming, but a fool will lead you to your death, where a wise friend will steer you on the right path.

Foolish Friends

Proverbs 18:2 A fool does not delight in understanding but only in revealing his own mind. (close-minded)

Proverbs 15:5 A fool rejects his father's discipline, but he who regards reproof is sensible. (disobedient)

Proverbs 26:11 Like a dog that returns to his vomit is a fool who repeats his folly. (repeats same sin)

Ecclesiastes 5: 3 For the dream comes through much effort and the voice of a fool through many words. (always running their mouth)

Proverbs 10: 8 The wise of heart will receive commands, but a babbling fool will be ruined. (always running their mouth)

Proverbs 20: 3 Keeping away from strife is an honor for a man, but any fool will quarrel.  (loves to quarrel)

Proverbs 29: 11 A fool always loses his temper, but a wise man holds it back.  (loses his temper)

Proverbs 14: 16 A wise man is cautious and turns away from evil, but a fool is arrogant and careless. (arrogant and careless)

Wise Friends

Proverbs 29: 3 Whoever loves wisdom makes his father rejoice, but a companion of harlots wastes his wealth.   (loves God's word)

Proverbs 17:9 He who covers over an offense promotes love, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.    (forgiving person)

Proverbs 14: 16 (see above) cautious and turns away from evil

Proverbs 20:3 (see above) keeps away from strife

Proverbs 10:8 (see above) teachable spirit, receives commands

Ecclesiastes 5: 3 (see above) works hard at achieving their dreams

Proverbs 18:2 (see above) delights in understanding

Prov. 15: 5 (see above) regards reproof (correction)

Jesus-The Ultimate Friend...how do we become godly friends to others

Prov. 17: 17 A friend loves at all times...

John 15: 13 Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends

John 15: 14 You are my friends if you do what I command

John 15: 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business.  Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.

2 Peter 3: 14 So then, dear friends, since you are looking  forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him

Colossians 3: 12-14 Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourself with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.  Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another.  Forgive as the Lord forgave you.  And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

I can't wait to share with the high-schoolers tomorrow!  Please pray for me as I speak from God's word that it will soften their hearts and they will be receptive to hearing me.

****Tomorrow I will post the Wednesday Book Club Chapter 6!