LOVE ONE ANOTHER
May 30, 2020
This has been a very hard week. We are currently living through a pandemic and trying to figure out what "getting back to normal" looks like. But, more importantly today, we continue to witness the brutal treatment of people created in the image of God. Specifically, in my hometown of Minneapolis, Minnesota, we have seen the murder of Mr. George Floyd, a black man who had his life stolen on Monday. He cried out for help. He said he could not breathe. He called out for his mother. He cried out for his mother!
I am literally crying as I write this letter to you. My heart aches. I can't sleep. I have had my 9-year-old son watch the news with me, as I must make sure he understands that this is wrong. That this is abhorrent. That the color of a person's skin should not be the determinant of his destiny. That God loves us and made us in his image. ALL OF US.
I do not post politics or even talk politics. I am private about my opinions in that regard. I do not want to influence people's politics, nor do I think it is proper to try to do so given my position. This is not a political letter. This is a letter about humanity. This is about life and the sanctity of it. This is about ensuring the safety and the dignity of our fellow humans. This is about the critical importance of commUNITY and living together in harmony. This is about what we have been called to as believers in Christ.
Today, friends, I implore you to speak up, to speak out, and to come together around what we, Mount Paran Christian School, can and will do about justice, about equity, and about the sanctity of all life. Jesus gave his life so that we may live and so that we may help others recognize the value of all life.
It starts with us. We cannot leave this for others to worry about or deal with. We are responsible for our current generation and the generations to come. We are responsible to defend our brothers and sisters. We are responsible. We must act as if we are. We have to lead the change we desire.
We are a diverse community. I fear for our black students, especially our black boys and their fathers. Today, a friend of mine who lives in Charlotte e-mailed this to me:
"Tim, please continue to pray for this world, my friend. People that look like my boys, many of my family/friends, and myself are being killed in the streets at a rate unseen in history. Please continue to pray. When our feet touch the streets, there is a significant chance that we may not come home, regardless of socioeconomic status, or political connections. It's crazy how living is a gamble for us. Continue to pray my friend. Hope you're well, sir."
My friend is an Executive Vice President at Bank of America. He makes a lot more money than I do. He is a success in business, was a collegiate athlete, has an MBA from the University of Oxford, and by every measure should be secure in life. However, instead, he fears for his life and for the lives of his two young sons. This should not be.
Friends, please consider how you can make a difference. Please consider ways that our MPCS family can make a difference. I want us to lead the way. I want us to, as Martin Luther King, Jr. stated, "...be the light that drives out darkness." I want us to be the love that drives out hate. This is a time to really hear from others who may have different perspectives or come from different cultural backgrounds. This is a time we can pick up the phone and talk to our brothers and sisters of color and ask them how they are and how we can pray for them. This is a time we can all seek ways to vocalize our love for one another and to show the world the love of Christ.
Matthew 5:13-16 states,
"You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet.
You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.
In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven."
Please, MPCS family, can we let our light so shine that others may give glory to our Father in heaven?
Soli Deo Gloria,
Timothy P. Wiens, Ed.D.
WingTips Blog - Imago Dei: Why Diversity Matters
THANK YOU for taking a few minutes to visit the Mount Paran Christian School website. MPCS is a special place, as I am sure you will see throughout the pages of this site. Founded in 1976, Mount Paran Christian School serves families from the greater Atlanta area, seeking to develop servant-leaders who will honor God, love others, and walk in Truth.
As you will learn, MPCS stands out in several ways:
- We are distinctly Christian and pleased to partner with families and churches in the development of the minds and hearts of students.
- Our students are spectacular! They are scholars. They are athletes. They are artists. Driven to succeed inside and outside of the classroom, our graduates have become college professors, Major League Baseball players, and Broadway performers. They are also committed fathers, mothers, and Christians. They are influencing countless sectors throughout the world.
- Our faculty are the heart of all we do. They are committed intellectuals, researchers, and practitioners. Above all, they love students, their subject matter, and God and are committed to the success of every student.
- Our programs – academic, athletic, and artistic – prepare students to flourish and to excel in college and the workplace, for a lifetime of impact for all of eternity.
- Our campus and facilities are unparalleled. MPCS is home to world-class academic, arts, and athletic facilities.
I encourage you to come for a visit, arrange a tour, and witness all the exciting things happening on campus and within the lives of our students. We look forward to serving you and toward the possibility of you joining the MPCS family!
WingTips is an MPCS blog presented by Dr. Tim Wiens. Read "Why Independent School," as well as other Christian educational thought-leadership in recent articles, guest student posts, and blog series.
