by Superintendent Chad McNatt
Today, as we honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., I’ve been reflecting on what that means for each of us in this pivotal time in history. We are indeed writing our story.
What story will you tell? What story will be told…as a nation, as a community, as a school, as families, and as Jesus followers when we look back on this season of history? When this chapter of our stories is written, will it be a story of courage, of faith, and of wisdom? Will it be bathed in prayer, in compassion, and in loving-kindness? Or, will it be a chapter of silence, of division, of fear, of violence, of biases and assumptions? The compelling dream of unity that Dr. King shared nearly sixty years ago, echoing the picture in Scripture of a diverse and glorious heaven, has yet to be fully realized. As fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, our role in this story must allow God’s voice to reshape and renew our lenses, filling our thoughts with “whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable…” (Philippians 4:8). Our hearts and minds must be so full of Christ in us that there is no room for hatred, for racism, or for thinking less of someone else no matter their story.
As a nation and as a Christ-centered community, the time to pray, to love, and to be courageous is now. With the tragic sting of the attack on the Capitol still in the air, with our nation on the cusp of a new president, with injustice still having a foothold, and with uncertainty in the midst of a pandemic, the time for unity, for prayer, is now. Dr. King said, “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in a moment of comfort, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” Where will we stand? What will my story be? What will your story be?
Our stories are being created by the decisions we make. Our decisions are powerful and ultimately shape not only our own story, but the stories of those around us. Let us claim here and now that our decisions as God’s people as to what we say, do, and think, will represent Jesus and show the world what love is. Our story is written one decision at a time. Let’s write a story that one day, when future generations look back on this chapter, they will see a story worth telling, a story where Jesus is the hero. The mission statement of SCS concludes with our commitment to preparing young people to “impact their world for Christ.” Let’s show them what that looks like as we write our story.