Character Matters
Let’s face it. We have really good public schools in
Fargo/Moorhead/West Fargo. We could send our kids anywhere and they
should be “fine.” Why do we continue to send our son to Grace Lutheran
School? One word – character.
The dictionary defines character as, “the mental and moral qualities distinctive to an
individual.” After five years of elementary education at Grace, here is
how I define it for our son: Every morning in the car on the way to
school, we each take turns saying a prayer. My son will start; I
follow. Since we live just a short distance from Grace, I drive slowly.
It’s the best part of my day.
He surprises me constantly
with what he shares in those prayers; what is on his heart and mind that
morning. Last week, one of his prayers hit me hard. To paraphrase,
he prayed for the substitute teacher his class would have that week – that she
would be able to guide the students in their lessons, and that his
classmates would respond to her “in a good way.” I did not coach him on
what to say; his experiences in the classroom had already taught him to give
his concerns to God and to have a compassionate heart for others.
For me, knowing HOW to come before your God to pray for your
substitute teacher, a person that you do not know or may have never seen
before, that is how to act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with your God,
just like the prophet Micah said so long ago. Our children are being
equipped to become the servant leaders of tomorrow because Grace Lutheran School
provides an environment that produces the type of character, perseverance and
self-control that will give them every opportunity to succeed and be happy in
this life.
I would not want it, nor my morning commute, any other way.
David Freitag
March 13, 2017
