This is what I wrote for my "Teacher's Message" for Reflections, the Brownsville Mennonite School yearbook.


I wonder if one of the reasons living for Jesus is so challenging is that we must live in the moment but also with a sense of eternity.

The Bible says that our life is like a mist. Since our existence is so fragile, we need to cherish every moment as if it were our last. That means going about our business with purpose and enthusiasm. It means getting through music class with a smile on our face and a positive attitude even when your teacher makes you start a song again and again and again.

Sorry students. That was a low blow.

But wait. If we get completely wrapped up in how wonderful music class is, we’ll lose out on the most important perspective, which is living our life with purposeful sights set upon eternity. Music class, however glorious, is just a means to an end.

So how can you live in the moment and use that to live with eternity in mind? Or, more practically, how can you use what you’ve learned in school this year to make a difference for eternity?

If you can figure that out, you’ve accomplished something significant. In fact, learning how to honor God in whatever you are presently doing is one of the most important things you can learn, certainly far more critical than learning how to shape your ‘ah’ vowel correctly (though that is important!).

So let’s do that. Figure out how you can put to eternal use what you are learning.