I have to admit... this section of reading was one that I actually somewhat agreed with! At the very beginning of Chapter 9, Postman shared some of the findings that Daniel Goleman had "discovered" and shared with readers. I actually re-read the beginning of this chapter a couple times, because I thought I had misread his findings. So you are telling me people are scared of death? Shocking. Oh also, he discovered that kids who are inept socially seem to be unpopular. As a teacher, I really laughed at this one. And yet, still today when "professionals" come out with "new discoveries," people think that they are the newest genius in town. Why is this? Why are we so easily swayed to think that people are so smart, when if we really look at what they are saying, its nothing that is too surprising! People are searching for something in our world today... and they are not looking for answers in the right places!
I then started think about what I put my faith in. Yes, I am a believer and yes, I pray about things, but I would be lying if I said that I don't sometimes place my faith in other things (without meaning to, obviously). Earlier this year, I sliced my finger with a knife, severing a nerve completely and also getting a bit of the tendon. Did I sit there and just pray about it? No! I wrapped it up and had my husband bring me to urgent care. Its not that I don't believe that God could have healed me, but I knew the doctor would be able to DO something about it. It is often easier for me to put my faith into things that I can see/feel etc. But that doesn't meant that I turn my back on the Lord. I think that we have to appreciate science for what it is and what it can do, but also realize that the sciences have limitations, where as our God does not have any limitations! What is it that you find yourself putting faith in?
I remember back when my firstborn was about three. We had been doing a great job of teaching him about God and the miracles of Jesus, and this is how I know: We were at a beach and he was playing at the water's edge. I was being a content and sappy mom watching my child grow and play when all of a sudden he got right angry. So I went over and asked what was going on. He said he couldn't understand why God wasn't letting him walk on water the way Jesus and his disciple did. I was blown-away by his "child-like" faith, and I was also humbled--just like you said about where and what we put our faith in--that I need more of that kind of faith. My son and I did a few "experiments" about what might float on water and what might sink just to change the topic a bit, but we did talk about the story of Jesus walking on water again that night because I didn't want him to ever loose that faith like Peter had to jump out of the boat.
ReplyDeleteAs a teacher, we need to be modeling our faith (and talking about it where we can) because that might be the biggest "Teacher" our kids will see--both in a Christian or public setting.