Every Resource Needed

Sorry for the late blog. It was a long day and a late night. But it was actually the events of last night that prompted me to change my blog. A sweet friend of mine invited me to attend an opening house at Maplewood High School in Nashville last night. She is part of an organization called Operation Andrew and they were feeding all the attendees of the open house last night, so we fixed up teacher gifts bags and served up some mean Nashville Barbecue.

As we sat in their beautiful auditorium and listened to their principle, Dr. Julie Williams, she showed statistics of the dramatic change in their student body in the last year. She was called out of retirement to pull this school out of the hole. In 2006 they were the lowest performing school in all of Davidson County. Their gang rate was at 70%. Their graduation rate at 41%. And turn it around she did. Last year's open house had 8 people. Yes, you got that right, 8 people. This year's open house had at least 200. All that in the span of a year.

I was also struck by a young teacher and the ROTC director, who began to talk about the "No Child Left Behind" benefits. Every student in that school has the ability for $1355.00 worth of free tutoring. She kept repeating that over and over. As if some of them might not actually take advantage of that. It was that repeated statement that was still running through my head as I drove home.

Staring at the headlight splattered back roads of Franklin, I wondered, "Would someone actually not take advantage of $1355.00 worth of free tutoring? Is it possible that children could have such resources and never realize what was at their fingertips?"

That was when the realization struck me. "How much do you have at your fingertips that you don't tape into? You have the Creator of the Universe who has made the same power that raised Christ from the dead dwelling inside of you. How often do you tap into that?" And I thought of all the wasted opportunities. Wasted moments of prayer, wasted moments of fellowship, wasted moments of meeting someone else's need. And all the power that is mine, all of the resources of God's grace, God's forgiveness, God's deliverance, God's mercy, that is never utilized.

I remember last year having a shouting match with God. Well, let me rephrase, I was shouting, He was considerably kind and gentle. I shouted to the roof of my red Ford rental, "Why did you let this happen? Why is this their struggle? It all seems so unfair. Why won't you set them free?! Why won't you make all of this go away! Why won't you...!" You can feel in the blank. You've probably had a few of those yourself too, I'm sure.

And what I heard was so kind and gentle. He said, "Baby girl," Can't help it, that's what He calls me. "Baby girl, I didn't cause this. This is a result of a fallen world. But what I do for each of my children is I give them every resource needed for their victory. And I gave this child extraordinary gifts, a wonderful family that would walk with them anywhere, and endless opportunities. I gave them every resource needed for their victory. If they live without it, it isn't because I haven't provided the resources for it."

The same was true last night. A young girl did a dramatic presentation called, "You don't live on my street." And you know what she was right. I don't live on her street. I don't know what it is to come to school hungry. The automotive teacher shared with me that she, yes, the automotive teacher is a she, that she couldn't understand why the children weren't attentive. And she said she finally asked them and they said, "We're hungry." So, she said, "I may not be able to change the situations in their families, but I can make sure these babies are fed, and let them know they can change their generation. They don't have to be like their mama and daddy."

I don't know what it's like to walk by an empty refrigerator, a seducing "uncle", or live with the fear of gang members. And if I could rescue each one of them I would. Yet, once again I saw resources for victory. Amazingly gifted and wonderful teachers. Financial support and assistance for a substantial education. A gifted and inspirational Principle who knows each child in that schools test scores and name. Every resource needed...

I don't know what you may be struggling with today. I don't know what you might be shouting at the roof of your car about this afternoon. But what I do know is that every resource needed in this life, for our victory, has been made available to us. The decision to be "left behind" in the muck and mire of our stuff will be ours alone. It won't be because a merciful and loving God hasn't thought about us in advance. May we let nothing afforded us be wasted...