Wisdom and Wonder

You have multiplied, O Lord my God,
   your wondrous deeds and your thoughts towards us;
   none can compare with you.
Were I to proclaim and tell of them,
   they would be more than can be counted. Psalm 40:5

The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the United States and Canada has always had deep respect for education.  We enjoy a relationship with fourteen colleges and universities across U.S. and Canada.  Many today feel that faith and intellectual pursuits stand at odds, but that isn’t part of our tradition.  Jesus taught his disciples by exploring nature.  The Psalmist looks to the beauty of God’s creation as the beginning of praise and contemplation.  I like the way Socrates said it, "Wisdom begins in wonder." 

As much of the world returns to the classroom, let’s celebrate the work that education can do for our faith, and the role it plays in bringing justice to God’s world as well.  Get a list of the elementary, middle, high school, and colleges near where you live and pray for the faculty, staff, and students.  Pray for the parents and all of those adults on whom much of what a child will learn truly depends. 

Then, put those prayers into action by finding out what those schools need, volunteers, mentors, and financial support. And because a hungry, fearful, or lonely child can’t succeed as easily in the classroom, give special attention to those non-profits that particularly benefit those to whom wonder comes most naturally, children.    

We'd love for you to join us for the Blessing of the Backpacks during worship tomorrow, August 19th at 11 am.  

Learn more about Disciples history with education and more about our tradition by reading:

A Handbook for Today's Disciples, 5th Edition