Left Behind

I had the eye opening experiencing of watching, “Hard Times at Douglass High: A No Child Left Behind Report Card” on HBO this weekend. The film documented the overall failures of our schools, the educational system, our families and our society as a whole. It showed how low the standards of education have fallen in this country and how the educational system is failing our youth and ultimately the entire society because without at least a basic education, failure is imminent (this is even before talking about the spiritual element). The destruction of the spiritual, economical, psychological and emotional make-up of the youth and the obliteration of a healthy family structure has fueled a perpetual cycle of hopelessness and apathy.

No child left behind has left many children behind.

In watching the documentary, I thought about the plight of Christians and the Church. Many of our Churches have implemented a policy of “No Child of God Left Behind”. Let me explain…

*In the documentary, many students who were failing, behind or had previously failed a grade (or grades), were told that all they needed to do to get back on track was to attend. Not try….not work…not sacrifice…not learn…Just Attend. Many of our churches want the same thing. They are not interested in the “Spiritual Promotion” or the Spiritual Growth of the members. They just want the seats full every week and for those who come, all that is asked is that they come every week and drop a couple $ in the bucket. Attendance is the barometer that measures your spirituality in their eyes. Don’t get me wrong attendance is important, but personal spiritual growth is the goal.

*In the documentary, many of the students in high school were educationally functioning on an elementary or middle school level. They were just being pushed through the system. How many Christians have been in the church 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 or more years and are as spiritually mature as a newly born again-fresh from the altar-Christian? It is a disgrace to God, you and to the body of Christ for so many “long-term” Christians to be spiritually illiterate, with feeble faith and so unprepared for the world. It is time to start learning about the Father so that we can live as He intends and so that we can show the present and the next generations how to live Holy Lives.

*In the documentary, many of the students showed little enthusiasm when it came to learning and were not active participants in the educational process, but when it came to Prom time, there was an overwhelming level of enthusiasm, preparation and participation. So it is in our Churches…We can sing, put on plays, have chicken dinners, fashion shows and do all kinds of “showy” external things, but where are the people when it is time to study God’s word. Is the same effort put into preparing our hearts for service? God is concerned with the heart.

Hebrews 5:11-14 says: “I have a lot more to say about this, but it is hard to get it across to you since you've picked up this bad habit of not listening. By this time you ought to be teachers yourselves, yet here I find you need someone to sit down with you and go over the basics on God again, starting from square one—baby's milk, when you should have been on solid food long ago! Milk is for beginners, inexperienced in God's ways; solid food is for the mature, who have some practice in telling right from wrong.”

It is time for us as believers to take a serious look at our lives and to check our spiritual diets. Too many of us are walking around with bottles in our hands. We are feasting off of “Spiritual Simalac” when we should be getting down with a much more mature and balanced spiritual meal. It is time to stop living by the philosophy of the old Toys R Us jingle…”I don’t want to grow up…I’m a Toys R Us Kid” and for us to stop being “Peter Pan” Christians (Living in Never Neverland). Basically and frankly speaking…It is just time to GROW UP.

God wants to take you to another level in your spiritual life. He has some things He wants to share with you and to tell you, but he is speaking the King’s English and you are still babbling along saying “Goo…Goo…Ga…Ga”.

It’s time to take the pacifiers out of our mouths and it is time for us to start acting our Spiritual Ages. Don’t let your walk be the reason that someone in this world is “LEFT BEHIND”

Be Blessed,
B