Meandering Moments by Elsi

I was the perfect student, when I was a kid. In 5th grade I was reading three adult novels from the library each week—and obediently doing my Dick/Jane/Sally reader assignment daily in school, answering the silly questions about the silly story.

Then I rebelled. And I still generally refuse to answer stupid questions (or ones I categorize that way). I will gladly read and discuss John 3:16. But I won’t fill in blanks to tell who loved the world, and how many sons God had, and what God gave. I refuse. If forced to answer, I get really creative, or answer in rhyme, or in Morse Code. “Who loved the world? The world’s Creator, a lover, not hater … well, I’ll see ya later!” That sort of thing.

And now I advocate for the divergent thinkers in our school system, kids who are being eaten alive by the system. The kids who don’t answer stupid questions, who don’t do silly or repetitive worksheeets, who don’t retain directions but find another way to show the answers.

Thank God, He doesn’t have a system. We don’t have to jump through His hoops, follow the dotted line, go through a set sequence. We come to Him as He speaks to our heart, and He takes us and grows us. No system, just infinite love.