The Day After See You At The Pole

Yesterday, students across America and around the world participated in See You At The Pole, the annual gathering where students (parents and teachers) surround the flag pole to pray for their school, the school year, other students, and other concerns.  It is held close to the start of the school year as to start the year off on the right foot.  Events can include Bible reading and singing of hymns and songs, so long as the entire event is student led.  And generally, the event is a positive, uplifting event for those involved that helps to remind them to pray for their school and for how to be in God's service throughout the school year.

The question today, though, is now what?

Will See You At The Pole be a one time blip in the school year, now matter how positive the experience, how high the mountaintop?  Or will it have a lasting impact?  Will there be something that is carried forward throughout the year in the lives of the students and others involved?

And the biggest message that I would like to promote is that it does not have to end.  See You At The Pole could happen every day at our schools.  Students could gather every single day and pray for the day ahead.

Despite what far too many people believe, all prayer in school is not outlawed.  Student led, student initiated, genuine student prayer is and has always been permissible in the school system (Tinker v Des Moines Independent Community School, 1969).  The 1995 Clinton Administration guidelines provide for school religious activities as long as they pass constitutional guidelines and even the ACLU approves of student-led prayer like SYATP before and after school so long as the school neither encourages or discourages participation.

Now, there may be consequences if a student starts praying out loud while the teacher is trying to teach, but that is more of an issue of appropriateness that even Jesus addressed.  "When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men.  Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.  But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you."  Matthew 6:5-6.  Jesus in this passage is dealing with the motive for prayer, and one would have to question the motive of a student praying outloud, interrupting the lesson.   For that, there should be consequences.

The school prayer that is not condoned is the kind where participation is mandatory.  Where everyone has to listen.  Where a teacher prays aloud over a class or where a principal or someone else prays aloud over the loud-speaker for the entire school to hear.  That has always been problematic and should not have been condoned.

But student-led, student-initiated prayer where participation is completely voluntary and not addressed by the school, is perfectly valid and allowed.  That goes to the heart of individual religious belief.  And the school cannot stand in its way.

Can you imagine if the Christian students of your school gathered everyday before class around the flag pole and prayed for the day ahead?  Can you imagine what the school would look like at the end of that year?

Let's go further, what would the school system look like, if every Christian teacher went to their room early, before any students arrived, locked the door, and prayed for the day ahead?  If every Christian principal got to the school before anyone else and walked the halls and prayed over them to start the day?

There is nothing to stop this from happening today but our own inaction.

Let's hit a little closer to home.  What would my office look like if I stayed and prayed over it?  What would your business look like if you got there and prayed over it every day?  If all the Christians in the office/business/etc started the day with a joint prayer?  This doesn't have to be the kind of thing that only happens with a church staff or "Christian" organization.

So to those students and faculty who participated in See You At The Pole, keep it up.  Don't be discouraged, don't let this fade.  Keep praying, keep living the life you have been called to.  Find a group of fellow believers and keep it up.

Even if you're the only one, keep praying.  Keep showing up to meet God and pray.

After all, beyond all the publicity and notoriety the event has, that is what it is truly all about.

To meet God where we are and talk to and hear from Him.

A Prayer for the Start of School

Though Avalyn started school two and a half weeks ago, I recognize many schools across the country are starting back now, or in the near future.  This year has made it very interesting to plan for a prayer for the start of school, because this year is so abnormal.  Some schools are going back though modified, some are starting virtually first, then planning to go back, others still are planning for both, not knowing exactly yet what they plan to do.  

It's in this environment I would like to offer a prayer for this 2020-2021 school year.  For the students, the parents, and the faculty involved.

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Dear Heavenly Father,

We come to you in a time of uncertainty and stress.  Facing a year that has already tested us and an upcoming school year which we are not prepared for.  A time in which we desperately want things to get back to normal, but recognize that it may not be for a long time yet.

It's in this environment in which we pray for, above all else, grace and mercy this year.

Lord may we find your grace, amazing grace, upon us.  May you protect us and guide us through this school year.  May you watch over all the students and keep them healthy and safe.  May you lead them to be kind to each other.  If nothing else, may they be kind.  May they wear their masks, may they learn to wash their hands well.  May they find a way to be friends and friendly even through social distancing.  May they listen to and help their teachers, not adding any additional stresses.  May their innocence and youth guide us through this difficult time.

May you watch over the teachers and grant them wisdom and patience.  May you give them grace in their interactions with their students. With parents who may not agree with the school's precautions.  With other faculty who might make things more challenging.  May they find joy, even in this chaos.  May they find the ability to give themselves grace when this year does not go as planned.  When everything changes on a daily basis.  May they give themselves permission to relax and let go.

May you watch over the parents who are trying to balance it all.  Praying that school continues to go forward, praying they don't have to work from home, make sure the kids are doing their school online and also try to get everything done around the house.  May they find grace in their interactions with teachers, recognizing they too are trying to figure out how to navigate this crazy time.  

May we all grant each other the grace to recognize that we're all trying our best in a very challenging situation.

May we be agents of grace in making someone else's day better, brighter in some small way.

May we be agents of your grace in finding the good, even now.

May we be merciful.

When school goes back to virtual after being open.

When the school gets its first case of COVID-19.

When it's just gotten to be too much.

May we be merciful.

And let us find you.

Let us find you in the ability for kids to play together for the first time.

Let us find you in the new resemblance of a routine.

Let us find you in a Zoom call.

At the dinner table after school is out.

In the pickup and drop off line.

Let us see you more clearly in this time.

For that is how we will get through it.

We thank you for all you have brought us through and we pray for your wisdom for this year.

In your most precious name,

Amen.