Words can harm or heal…
We love sharing good news stories, and there are so many about Northern Christian School that you would need quite a few catch-up sessions over coffee to listen to them all. However, we must ensure we have a balanced and honest picture of Northern and share some of the harsh and sad realities of our ‘messed-up-ness’. The late Martin Hanscamp, a giant in Christian education, would always highlight the importance of remembering that God’s hand (even blessing) is also there when we address our school’s fallenness. We must be honest and recognise when we fall short; only then can we begin taking the steps necessary to improve.
During the past few weeks, we have focused on using our words to build each other up. Why? We have been reflecting on areas that need improvement. Increasingly, I have heard students not using manners, speaking unkindly to other students, staff, and their parents, and using disrespectful language. We also know that this type of poor behaviour is nothing new; we are all sinful. We read about this in the Bible in Genesis with the story of Adam and Eve.
In 500 BC, Socrates, when reflecting on the young people of Athens at the time, said: “Youth today love luxury. They have bad manners, contempt for authority, no respect for older people, and talk nonsense when they should be working.” I'm not sure about you, but when I hear this quote, I think it must be a quote from someone living in 2024.
It is hard work pushing back against the current culture in our society: a culture that doesn’t emphasise values like good manners or speaking with respect and kindness. Does this mean we don’t do anything? Absolutely not. We have the privilege of being part of a transformational Christian learning community with incredible parent partnership, allowing us to work together with God’s guidance and wisdom through His Word and prayer to push against this cultural tide.
In Line Up this term, we have focused on the power of words. To demonstrate this, I had a student squeeze out a tube of toothpaste and asked them to try to put it back into the tube. Even though the student diligently attempted to get the toothpaste back in, of course, they could not. I further illustrated to the students, “Did you know that the same thing is true of the words we speak? Once you have said it, it is said. In the same way that you can’t get the toothpaste back into the tube, you can't put the words back in your mouth”. I reminded students that we must be very careful about what we say and choose not to say anything if it is unkind and untrue. I read from Proverbs 12:18,
The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing. The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.
I spoke to students about how our words can pierce like swords; they get into the heart and soul.
We all know the power of words and how they can be soul-destroying. Tim Keller, a late, well-known Christian author, commented, “You can never make things as if they had never been uttered when you say hurtful words. It is like a wound from a sword. The wound may heal, but your body will never be the same as if the sword had never cut you. The scar remains.”
We also know that while words can wound, they can also heal. As it says in Proverbs, the tongue can be soothing and a tree of life:
From the fruit of their lips people are filled with good things, and the work of their hands brings them rewards… The soothing tongue is a tree of life, but a perverse tongue crushes the spirit. (Proverbs 12:14, 15:4)
There are many Bible verses about the power of words and the importance of using them wisely, which is evidence that God's plan for us is to be wise with our words.
Let us pray that as a transformational Christian learning community, God will continue to mold and form our hearts so that we build each other up with our words, are kind and compassionate to one another, and forgive each other, just as God forgives us through Christ.
Bethany Armstrong - Principal
