Shhhh, God Is Talking.

Psalm 50:1-8, 22-23

Today we meet the Freshmen who will be attending the high school I work at. This will be my fourth time at a new student assembly, and if history has anything to teach me it's that the gym will be hot, crowded, and loud, very loud.

While most attending teachers and staff complain about the noise level, I will feel the wonderful energy those kids give off. They're excited to begin their high school journey. They're seeing friends they may not have seen in a couple of months. They want to show off their new clothes and talk about what they did over the summer.

Of course all of this exuberant behavior comes at the expense of listening to whoever may be trying to speak to them at the moment.  One year our Assistant Principal was talking about how, as Freshmen, they were beginning school with a clean slate. He was telling them that none of their past records or grades followed them into high school and so they should take this chance to start new.

Three minutes into his speech it was obvious the kids weren't listening as the chatter in the gym was louder than him. So, he did what every good administrator should do in that situation; he yelled. That got their attention and for the rest of his talk the gym was quiet.

The subject of his talk went from "you have a clean slate" to, "you're going to quickly learn that high school isn't a joke and you will get from your high school experience exactly what you put in." The tone in his voice went from gentle and understanding to stern and authoritative. I simply stood on the sidelines and smiled at the new and improved attention of our youth.

That year I was blessed to work with those same freshmen for 2 or 3 months. It really was a joy. This year I once again get to work with those freshmen as they become juniors. It'll be interesting to see how many of them took note and followed what they were being taught that day.

Either way, I will be another reminder that their rewards in high school come directly from the work they put in - just as it will be for everything they do the rest of their life.