Winter Enrichments are a wonderful opportunity for students to try different things or hone various emergent skills. As I have walked around observing the different sessions I noted how wonderful it is to see the students working alongside teachers, parents, and community volunteers. It helps us fulfill our mission to develop the gifts that God has placed in each and every one of our students. In the development of these gifts we do hope our students will be equipped for a life of leadership, contribution and service in God’s kingdom.
I believe this fit so well with a recent sermon illustration. The pastor was outlining what is meant for our lives to be living sacrifices to the Lord. This continual attitude of sacrifice and gratitude is a worshipful response to God. It urges us in Romans 12 not to conform any longer to the patterns of this world but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. In the baking session the prepared mixes are poured into the forms or molds for the delicious baking. This is a prime example of conforming. It is appropriate and necessary for the cake or muffin mix to conform to the pan or mold.
On the other hand as our students develop into imitators of Christ we are not called to conform but to be transformed. This transformation comes from the heart; it comes from the inside out. This type of transformation can more aptly be illustrated by a metamorphosis. The cocoon of the butterfly conceals the transformation within. The transformation occurs from the inside. We pray for the Spirit to continually knock on the doors of our students’ hearts as we also instruct them in ways and attitudes that reflect this type of transformation. As their gifts are unwrapped we long for them to be transformed by the Spirit to display the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-25) and the clothes of Christ (Col. 3:12-14).
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