Please excuse a bit of a rant…
Last Monday, I violated one of my principles – I proposed a rule.
I’m not a fan of creating rules, because rules are always part of games. Rules require officials and punishment to enforce them. But worst of all, rules can arbitrarily change. If you change the rule, you change the game.
Life is not a game. Jesus did not propose a list of rules.
Toward the end of my teaching career, I learned it was possible to operate a middle school classroom without rules.
You’re thinking, “That’s insane!”
It was actually quite simple, which is much different from being easy. It was difficult and often complicated. But our classroom operated on one simple principle:
EVERYONE gets treated with dignity and respect.
Notice – principles and rules are different. Principles don’t change. Dignity and respect are – or ought to be – universal values that apply beyond a math classroom.
That’s what Jesus taught.
Love God. Love your neighbor. Love yourself.
He said everything else depends on this simple, universal principle.
For 2000 years, people have been adding rules, turning what Jesus said into a game involving control and power and division.
At the beginning of each school year, I purposely set aside time, knowing we would need to stop and discuss what dignity and respect looks like in specific cases. Again and again, students expected some sort of rule. What happens if I show up late? What if my homework isn’t done?
Helping them understand that tardiness was disrespectful – to themselves and their classmates (and me) took time. They thought a rule would be simpler.
Perhaps, but I refused to turn my classroom into a game.
I believe Jesus felt the same way. He didn’t want us to treat life like a game.
Love God. Love your neighbor. Love yourself.
Walk with me as we work out the details.