No Word? No Education Equity or Equality

Dear Sister,

I wonder if you're like me. I like to flavor my sugar with coffee. I finally came to this realization after having lunch with one of our sisters. While she was drinking her coffee black (there's no emoji for this type of habit), I opened eleven, table-sized sugar packages! I don't drink coffee on a regular basis, so I feel justified in this occasional indulgence.

This week we'll return to our regular work week at school. We have braved the abnormal freezing temperatures that rested in the area for over a week but we're finally returning to our normal 50 to 60-degree winter weather.

The school closures were a blessing to most teachers. I took advantage by attending a two-day training on the church's call to education equity and equality. My heart was met with distress and then broken by the absence of scripture as speaker after speaker, in the church, presented educational data void of any spiritual understanding. Nevertheless, all scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16). The absence of scripture proved to be a major flaw to the conference as I listened to the discourse of discouragement among participants. Lord have mercy!

With that said, I will keep bringing you and our brothers scriptures to help you grow in the word of God. For now, please meditate on I Corinthians 12-14. See how you can apply these scriptures to your profession. Biblical principles and practices are extremely important and powerful towards our work of service in public schools. For example, there is the command to follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy (1 Corinthians 14:1). I have mentioned these scriptures to you in previous letters but I want to return to this truth because of what I experienced in this conference. To make a long story short, one of the keynote speakers, truly amazing in his academic approach, was absolutely void of the Spirit.

Sister, any professional development that aims to train you in educational engagement and support must be met with biblical substance and explanation. Welcome the training like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah (Daniel 1:6) yet be ready to demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5). Sister, the daggers of segregation will not grow dull by an apology by one race to another. Only the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one (Ephesians 6:16-17).

To understand and overcome the unconscious biases that are barriers to opportunity, you and I must become conscious of the spiritual remedies offered in Christ Jesus. Get an understanding: our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms (Ephesians 6:12). A man-made atonement cannot break these strongholds! The church must return to the Word of God. If your church is not equipped to train you in godliness which has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come (1 Timothy4:8), find a church that will meet your personal and professional needs so that you can be a help to your family and all our students.

Your sister in Christ,

Vanessa

P.S. Join me for Disciples in Education on February 3rd in Columbia, South Carolina. Here's the link 2Disciples.eventbrite.com.