It’s that time of year again. Time for parent teacher conferences. Parents come in to meet their child’s teacher and talk about their progress so far. Recently, I led 23 conferences with parents of my second graders. “How’s my child doing?” “Does my child make friends easily?” “Is my child behaving?” These are the top questions of many parents.
THE RESPONSIBLE LEARNERS’ RUBRIC
As part of the conference, I share the “Responsible Learners Rubric”. I rate how each child is progressing in areas like following directions, using time wisely, cooperating with others, knowing the rules and accepting responsibility. Most parents appreciate this feedback because it encompasses the whole child, not just academics.
MY SCORES FALL SHORT
How do we measure up as Christians living in a broken world? Would we rarely, occasionally, frequently or consistently be performing in the four areas? I am afraid to say that my scores often consistently fall far short.
Thankfully, God does not rate us using a system like this. John 3:16 states, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Our eternal admission into God’s class is totally the work of Jesus on the cross. Our acceptance of Him as our Savior and submitting our lives to Him is what God requires for our entrance.
THE BENEFITS TO LIVING A LIFE DESIGNED BY HIM
If we use this rubric to aid us in our Christian life after accepting Jesus as Savior, verses from the Bible show us the benefit of living a complete wonderful Christian life personally designed by Him.
- Following directions: “Be careful to obey all these regulations I am giving you, so that it may always go well with you and your children after you, because you will be doing what is good and right in the eyes of the Lord your God.” (Deuteronomy 12:28)
- Using time wisely: “Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.” (Ephesians 5:15-16)
- Cooperating with others: “Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labor. And if one prevails against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.” (Ecclesiastes 4:9)
- Knowing the rules and accepting responsibility: “Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.” (Proverbs 28:13)
God looks at our heart attitude regarding obeying His commands. That is awfully important if we want to graduate with honors from His teaching. May we attend the parent teacher conference with God and commit to Him: “My heart consistently knows you, loves you, and wants to serve you. I am your disciple. Use me today.”
For further reading: God’s grading system; Billy Graham 4 Steps to using time wisely
Kim, the author of this piece, is the mother of 3 grown children, one who is already living in his heavenly home. She is a 2nd grade teacher at Lampeter-Strasburg and enjoys reading, spending time in nature, and walking the beach (wherever it is warm).
