Everyone has an opinion on just about everything. Some of us
have strong opinions on some issues. And, when one of our opinions is
challenged, sometimes we don’t take it very well. Such is life in a land with
freedom of speech. As the T-shirt reads, “Those
who think they know it all are annoying to those of us who really do.”
My experience has generally shown that the stronger we react
to someone else’s opinion, the closer we should examine our own cherished
belief. It would seem that one of those opinion-testing moments came last week
as part of the sermon delivered at Middle Sackville Church. I have heard a lot
of discussion, and heard about a lot
of discussion, regarding the relative merits of public (read: secular)
education vs private (read: parochial) education. (I’ve attended both types.)
Let’s put it bluntly: Crandall University vs all others in
the Maritimes.
While I was not in church last Sunday, (we were in Ontario
celebrating our first grandchild!!) I did listen to the message. While not
having the benefit of the visual aspect of seeing it live, I did listen
closely. What has come to my attention this week is the way in which we filter
what we hear. Some of the comments made to myself since Sunday, which were credited
as “quotes,” were not really correct. (It has also been my experience that I
have been misquoted or misunderstood over the years as well.)
While some of the opinions expressed “pushed a few buttons,”
I would like to weigh-in on some issues. First, the President of any
university is paid to promote his own school. Would we have expected anything
else? Second, we do support Crandall and should welcome the discussion
of competing philosophies. The Bible has its own share of these debates. Third,
don’t forget that a biblical (specifically Old Testament) perspective on
education is holistic. (See my first blog, “Thinking About Education.”) After
all, Jesus would have attended a parochial school and the debate about
education isn’t in the New Testament. The choice we face is a late 20th
century phenomenon.
And a welcome choice it is. We value freedom of choice, and
so does God. We use our minds to weigh the options and do what seems best.
Hopefully, we have prayed about it. What I heard in the message on Sunday was
that Crandall provides a choice. In the President’s opinion it is a better and
more biblical choice – provided the preferred course of study is available.
Feel free to disagree, but be thankful for the fact we have choice, and are
able to openly debate the relative merits – free from condemnation.
And by the way, a little challenge to our own cherished
beliefs makes us think, doesn’t it?
