To Run Or Not To Run

I was e-mailed an article yesterday and I thought I would respond to it a little bit. The article can be found here: http://mondaymorninginsight.com/blog/post/you_are_going_to_hell_and_taking_someone_with_you/.

I encourage to read the article, but basically Todd, the author of Monday morning insights, was responding to another article in which a certain Dr. Thompson was saying that we should all encourage other to get our students out of public schools because they are evil and promote things that are in opposition to Christianity. Todd doesn't quite agree and points out, "Whatever happened to being a light in the darkness?"

As a young adult who does not have any children of my own perhaps my view on this is somewhat skewed and maybe when I do have children my viewpoint will change I don't know. I read the original press release and Dr. Thompson used a couple of Scripture references WAY out of context and basically said public schools are evil and private schools are perfect and you hate your neighbor if you do not tell them to get their children out of public schools and since this is "obviously" the good thing to do you are sinning if you don't do it.

Do public schools promote things that are opposite of Christianity? Sure. However, that does not make private schools perfect either. As someone who went to both a Christian and a private school, there were a lot of things that were Anti-Christian at the private school as well. Also, in talking with a Principal at a Christian school, there are many there who question whether Jesus really is the only way to God. Private schools are not necessarily some safe-haven that we can run to in order to escape all of the evils of this world. Also, I think the level of education that I received was greater at the public school that I went to. That is not something to be taken flippantly either.

Greater than that, though, Todd makes a great point in saying, "Whatever happened to being a light in the darkness?" This I think is the crux of the issue. In Matthew 5:13 Jesus calls his disciples to the salt of the earth and goes on to also call them to be a light on a hill. This applies to us as well. In the OT God compared Israel to olive trees. Olive oil was mainly used to light lamps. God is calling Israel his light to the rest of the world. Paul tells us that we have been grafted into that olive tree and so we also are to be God's light to the world.

In my opinion is much more loving to be a light in the public school than to run away and hide from it. Jesus never ran away and hid. Rather he engaged the culture around him with the truth of Scripture in a loving manner. I think that Dr. Thompson has his definition of love screwed up a little. Just my opinion, though. What are some of your thoughts.