Rain and Judgement

As I watched the rain fall from the sky today, I thought...beautiful rain. Then, I remembered that just last week it was raining, and I was not singing the same tune. Why? Well, because it was raining when I thought it should not be. What does rain have to do with judgement? Glad you asked!

As we strive to put into place a critical thinking component in our school, one of the issues I am concerned about is judgement. You see judgement is suppose to be at the very top of the ladder of thought. You memorize, comprehend, analyze, synthesize, apply, discern, discover and then judge. Today, too many start to think then jump right to judgement. Today too many in the world think by way of the short path of memorize, comprehend and judgment. This path can also be found inside of critical thinking. When one learns to think in a critical manner it will, by its nature, feed pride and ego, and, if not careful, one who is suppose to be a critical thinker can be found dwelling inside the same short path of the world.

In the same way that we have reduced our English language and vocabulary down to a manipulated resource for us to use to get our own way, we do the same with thinking. We think... because I know... this, and I have done... that, and I arrive... there...I therefore think this, and it must be truth. When, the reality is that it is a personal perception, at best. Now, I am not saying that personal perception can not be somewhat true because it can. But, personal perception can not be absolute Truth...ever. Absolute truth is Jesus Christ!

Personal perception can be the truest truth if one defines it according to our Lord. He, being Truth, states that when two or three gather in His name He is with them. He, being Truth, states that we are not to judge or we shall be judged. He, being Truth, states that we ought to be known by His mark...love. When truth flows through the filter of scripture and not out of the world then it is to be taken as truth.

As we prepare to teach our students to think critically, join me in praying that all of us, teachers, administration, parents and students would be protected from our own pride. That we would not be puffed up, but that we would, instead, be humbled and awed by our God who gave us our ability to think and discern.