On the Christ-Centered School as an Olive Grove

On the Christ-Centered School as an Olive Grove. (this article is in process and is incomplete at this time)

“How fortunate, how happy are you who fear the Lord, you who are filled with reverence and awe for Him. All of us who follow His ways are to be envied, because God Himself will bless us! You will enjoy the fruit of your labor and be fulfilled in your work. How joyful and prosperous you will be! Your wife will be like a fruitful grapevine, flourishing within your home. Your children will be like vigorous newly planted olive trees as they sit all around you at the family table. This is all the Lord’s blessing for those who fear Him, for those who are filled with awe and reverence for Him.” (Psalm 128:1-3).

Holy fear involves the raised hands of adoration; the knocking knees of apprehension; the bare feet of awe; the dry mouth of uncertainty; the quickened heartbeat of anticipation; the bowed head of reverence; the humbled spirit of devotion; the straight posture of respect; the closed mouth of deference; the open mind of discovery; the tender heart of gratitude; the open ears of full attention; and feet that are poised to obey the Lord.

Psalm 128 = King Hezekiah’s classic wisdom psalm begins with “Blessed is the one who reverently fears the Lord, and who walks in obedience to Him.” This psalm celebrates the simple joys of life and the rewarding favors of God in finding fulfillment in the home and in hard work… enjoying the fruit of one’s labor, finding pleasure in a happy marriage, delighting in a large group of flourishing children sitting around the family table, the hopeful prospect of enjoying one’s grandchildren, and being surrounded in peace within your faith community. Hezekiah totally ignores contemporary values such as worldly ambition, single-minded productivity, getting ahead, and the pursuit of wealth, power or fame. Wisdom asks each of us, it is wise to find fulfillment elsewhere, is it not? This wisdom psalm reveals the truth that our deepest meanings in life are discovered in these simple, homespun, and flesh-and-blood blessings from God. According to this psalm, life’s true pleasures don’t have to be more complicated than that.

Wisdom Psalms. There were nine psalms in the Psalter that were grouped together into a category called the Wisdom Psalms: 1, 14, 37, 49, 73, 112, 119, 127, and 128.  They were not intended for public worship or liturgy, but instead were intended for private devotions and moral/spiritual instruction. The Wisdom Psalms focused on themes surrounding wisdom such as contrasting the righteous vs. the wicked, and what constitutes the “blessed” life, a life that is flourishing and joyful and full of God’s favor. The Wisdom Psalms did not discuss things like the nation of Israel, Temple worship, or the story of salvation. Because these psalms centered on the Lord’s teachings, divine instructions, and the godly life spelled out in His Word, these psalms were also known as “Torah Psalms” in rabbinic circles. The wisdom format was used freely in these psalms as they discussed various principles of good decision-making, the righteous life, and how God has built a moral universe in which the righteous are ultimately rewarded and the wicked are held accountable and doomed to perish. In other words, we are asked to trust God as He repeatedly proclaims that it pays to be good and it doesn’t pay to be wicked, even if it looks like bad things happen to good people and good things happen to bad people. According to these Wisdom Psalms, perhaps wisdom can be summed up in two words: Trust Me. The Wisdom Psalms cover much the same themes as the other Wisdom literature in Scripture, including Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Solomon (Song of Songs).

In the Wisdom Tradition. The Olive Grove image is then squarely within the wisdom tradition in education, and so perhaps the goals of what kind of graduates the school wants to produce might be interesting:

1. The Sage: A person known for wisdom, understanding and discernment; for developing the practical art of living skillfully; for growing in moral intelligence; for being able to practice the truth in daily life; for expressing astute insight and shrewd street smarts; for applying knowledge to make thoughtful decisions and healthy choices; for knowing the difference between wise and foolish, right and wrong, beautiful and ugly, good and evil, true and false; for effectively demonstrating a practical spirituality; for choosing to live into Wisdom itself, the Person of Jesus the Anointed One.
2. The Fool: A person who doesn’t know what is best for himself; who doesn’t learn from mistakes; who is habitually rebellious; who does not consider the consequences of his behavior; who stubbornly remains unteachable; who is content with self-satisfied ignorance; who ignores counsel and discipline; who pridefully rejects a reverence for God; who has access to the truth but rejects it; who is impulsive and unable to control emotions; who is not concerned about moral blindness; who is unaware of his self-destructive lifestyle; who does not recognize the need to change his thinking and behavior; who is gullible, naïve and dim-witted.

On the Young Jesus as the Growing Tree: We only get one intimate glimpse of Jesus the student. This is the only snapshot we have of Jesus’ childhood in the family photo album, and in a school-like situation at that. This appears to be how the Son of God did school for the most part, and I believe it provides a picture of how a student can become a partner in the way of wisdom:

1. He is sitting at the feet of the teachers. That was the standard sign of respect for young people in a learning situation. You literally look up to them in honor and respect. The first sign of a good student is humility, a willingness to accept the leadership of the teacher, through honor and respect.
2. He is listening to the teachers. Jesus, because of his humility before the teachers, was then in a position to keep an open mind, an attitude of receptivity, an intense interest in what was being said by the elders. A good student is all ears.
3. He is asking questions. Without curiosity, without a desire to engage the material and the teachers, very little learning occurs. Passive learning is actually an oxymoron, and implies being a disinterested bystander. Active learning is key.
4. He is offering his reactions. He had the courage to voice his thoughts, to respond, to think out loud, to process verbally. He was thinking for himself, and not letting someone else do his thinking for him. The content being offered was grist for the mill in the learning process.

According to observers of this scene, the air was crackling there in the Temple courtyard. The learning was palpable, as Jesus revealed for all of us what it takes for a student to learn: humility and respect; openness and receptivity; active curiosity; willingness to respond thoughtfully. This is a fascinating picture of a student for the ages. We can literally follow Jesus here in our life-long learning, and accept his words in Matt. 11:29: “Learn from me.”

On Supporting the “Hub Trees”: Also called the “Mother Trees,” the more mature and well-established trees in a grove are vital to the flourishing of the younger trees. Research in forest ecology has confirmed that the older trees, by establishing an underground root system with the younger trees, are able to supply the newer trees with nutrients and minerals, carbon, water, and sugars received from the sunlight. Besides that, the older and taller trees protect the younger trees from extreme heat or frost, filter intense sunlight, break strong winds, and provide a stable microclimate for the younger trees. And in one of nature’s miracles, when the older trees are attacked by insects or disease, they send chemical warning signals through their fungal network which prompt the younger trees to pump out their own defensive enzymes. Just like the mature trees in the forest, the parents are called to care for their children and lead them to a life in which they flourish. One important part of the Christ-centered school is to support those “mother trees” in their God-given responsibilities.

1. The Parent as a Child’s First Pastor. The Christian home is rooted in the Jewish home. And the Mosaic Law was very clear: Each Jewish home was in fact a domestic church, and the parents were the child’s first and primary teachers and pastors. And so, for God’s chosen people, faith was largely a home-schooling affair. God’s discipling program began and continued in the home with the parents. God’s law from Sinai was straightforward as explained in Deuteronomy 6. Parents were to broadcast the seeds of truth into the lives of their children by fleshing out love for God, teaching them God’s Word in Scripture, and proclaiming the benchmark events of God in history. The parents were to constantly, intentionally, practically remind their kids of God’s presence and power, of His mercy and grace and righteousness. The parents were instructed by the Lord to officially begin their passing the Faith on by reading aloud and praying the Shema of Dt. 6:4-5: “Hear (‘sh’ma’), O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.” This was recited in the home every morning and every night, and it still is to this day. The Shema continues to be recited in every Sabbath service. So this was Lesson One for the Jewish parent, the word that Jesus later called the “first and greatest commandment.”
2. Homespun Youth Group. Moses then followed the Shema by revealing to the parents how this home discipleship program was to be done: “Hear, O Israel! Yahweh is our God, Yahweh alone! And you shall love Yahweh your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words which I am commanding you today shall be on your heart; you shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way, when you lie down and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and shall be immovable before your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” (Dt. 6:4-9). God’s lessons to the children in the home were to be auditory, visual, and kinesthetic; the Lord’s heavenly methodology prodded the parents to be intentionally multi-sensory and experiential, using every learning style imaginable. To show how important home-pastoring was, literally the last words of Moses on the day before he died were these: “Take to heart all the words I have solemnly declared to you this day, so that you may command your children to obey carefully all the words of the law. They are not just idle words for you – they are your life.” (Dt. 32:45-47).

Moses on Teaching the Young Trees in the Helpful Climate: “May my teaching drop as the gentle rain, my words arrive like the morning dew, like the light, sprinkling rain upon the tender grass, and as the spring showers upon the new green growth.” (Deuteronomy 32:2). After Moses wrote down all the words to his last song in 32:2-43, that he and the Lord composed, he revealed his giftedness and intuition as a teacher. He introduced the song to the people in verse 2. Moses had a serious word to offer the people as they approached the Promised Land. He knew he could come across like a downpour, a torrent of words and emotion coming down hard and fast. But he instead saw the wisdom of being gentle, more like the morning dew that arrives softly, like distilled droplets or a light sprinkling shower on the tender new growth. Moses did not want to browbeat, overpower or intimidate the people. He wanted to teach less like a thunderstorm and more like a pervading mist. He wanted them to hang onto and absorb every word. Moses thought the words of the song would be more likely to be received eagerly if his presence was more nurturing and less harsh on the vulnerable listeners. He thought the words were more likely to sink in and be absorbed with the forthright but less intimidating approach. Also, just like that morning dew soaking the whole plant, roots and stalk and leaves, Moses wanted to reach the whole person of each of his hearers, not just their intellectual reason. He wanted to appeal to their conscience, will, imagination, memory, motivation, and their heart. Moses wanted every part of each of these people to receive sustenance by the morning dew of truth in the context of wholeness. On the other hand, teaching like a gentle rain does not mean being soft, lenient, or wishy-washy. Kind but firm is the goal. Boundaries are crucial, order is needed to prevent chaos, and sometimes NO is just as important as YES or MAYBE.

Healthy Ground for the Olive Grove. What type of learning culture in the school and home provides the most optimum learning environment? How did God create our brains to function best? How were we designed to learn and grow? What does an effective, brain-friendly atmosphere look like? The latest brain research suggests the following ingredients for an effective learning culture at home:

1. TRUST AND BELONGING. For learning to occur, an atmosphere of trust is vital. Peace of mind is good for the brain. Where there is overt fearfulness or high anxiety, higher order learning is less likely to occur, eg, problem-solving, creativity, analysis, recollection. It’s interesting that we do our best thinking with “optimum stress,” a balance, when there isn’t too much stress, but there is enough stress to push the brain into action. Our emotional well-being is  an important part of learning… We learn best when not overly anxious or disconnected. An atmosphere of trust means that a student feels security, a strong sense of acceptance, belonging, and connectedness. Perhaps nothing promotes that feeling of belonging more than when a student feels s/he is known and understood. A teacher/parent’s role is to truly know, accept, and understand the child. When that happens, learning is most likely to occur. If a child is living in the midst of fear or trauma, learning is virtually impossible.
2. MEANINGFUL CONTENT. Learning is more likely to occur when the child feels s/he is studying something worth knowing. Brains seem to operate well when the learner senses that this is worth the effort. It could be that the child will need to simply trust the teacher for a time, and learn anyway. But for optimum learning, a student needs a rich curriculum that invites intellectual or imaginative involvement. It helps when the content really does feed the mind and heart, and is not mere junk food. Content that is merely trivial pursuits, filled with lists of facts and raw data, is not meaningful and tends to be demotivating. Much of learning is emotionally driven, and it’s important for the person to sense that the content is significant, worth knowing, and thus inspiring. The more a student is convinced that something is worthwhile, the more likely learning is to occur.
3. ENRICHED ENVIRONMENT. The brain loves it when its multiple areas are given the chance to integrate. Learning occurs best with a variety of things to learn and a variety of ways to learn them. The brain seems to be expert in adapting to methods and styles and content. A change is as good as a break in the learning environment. Multi-sensory and experiential learning tend to be the most memorable. Remember, you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink. But, you can make him thirsty! A rich environment makes student thirsty, telling the brain there is something to look forward to. But there is an extreme that actually goes against learning… If the environment is too hyper, too busy, or overly stimulating, then there is simply an overload, too much distraction, and focused attention will be next to impossible. A healthy, not hyper, dose of richness and variety is key to learning.
4. INTELLIGENT CHOICES. At some point a student has to take ownership of his/her learning. A child needs to grow into being an independent learner, self-motivated and able to choose to learn for himself. Providing options to students helps them learn how to make decisions for themselves in the learning process. Providing a range of acceptable choices also helps the student learn from mistakes. This builds confidence in decision-making even when one isn’t sure of the exact perfect choice to make. Providing intelligent choices gives students the opportunity of growing in personal ownership of the learning process.
5. ADEQUATE TIME. Feeding the mind is not an exercise in speed-eating. Speed isn’t necessarily a virtue in the learning process, which calls for the gift of time. A sense of being unhurried is important, an opportunity to learn at one’s own speed. Evidently, the brain’s neural connections need “jelling time” for learning retention, kind of like film developing in the dark room, or incubation time. It’s interesting that “optimum stress” comes into play again. If there is too little time, then anxiety rises and learning is less likely to occur. But if there is no time limit at all, too much time, the brain isn’t pushed into action adequately. So, like so much of the learning process, the gift of time is another balancing act. A little time pressure seems to stimulate the brain, while too much time pressure works again learning.

On Mature Olive Trees Being Productive: God has created the fruit of the olive tree to be a tasty and versatile source of food and a supply of life-giving nutrition. Olives are rich in vitamin A and E, antioxidants, copper, calcium and iron. Olives can strengthen the bones, boost the immune system, reduce the risk of heart disease, reduce chronic inflammation, and even regulate blood sugar levels. More recently, olives are being used to reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s and other brain-related diseases such as dementia. No wonder olives have been such a popular food since ancient days even before the Flood. The oil from the olive has been a blessing to humanity since Day One. It has always been seen as a valuable part of society because there are so many uses for it. It’s interesting that Creator God has used olive oil for so many important biblical purposes. It has been used as a soothing medicinal ointment and cleanser. Just ask the Good Samaritan. It has been used as God’s special anointing oil for royalty, the priesthood, physical and spiritual healing, and now of course is used for important sacraments like baptism and confirmation. Olive oil was invaluable for centuries to use in lamps for fuel. As mentioned earlier, olives and olive oil have been an important health supplement as far back as we can determine. In Deuteronomy 11:14, Moses noted three “blessings of the land,” and they were grain, wine, and olive oil. Olive oil is made by a couple of different methods. It could be produced by bruising the olives with mortar and pestle and then extracting the juicy oil. Or one can use a huge stone press, a large roller used to crush the olives to a pulp, and then after removing the impurities, one can collect the oil for use. Isn’t it poignant that the word “gethsemane,” the garden in the Mount of Olives that saw so many momentous events in the life of Jesus, actually means “olive press?” There He is in the Garden of Gethsemane, being pressed, like an olive in a gigantic stone press, and His life will soon be pressed out.

“But, like a flourishing olive tree in the house of God, I put my trust in God’s mercy, His faithful lovingkindness, for ever and ever. I shall praise you forever for what you have done, and shall trust in your name, so full of goodness, in the presence of your faithful.”  (Psalm 52:8-9).