Nestled between rolling hills and the Adriatic Sea sits a quaint town filled with deep history and views to die for. The final resting place for Skanderbeg, the hero of Albania, Lezha is home to a newly developed American School. Lezha Academic Center prides itself on upholding the American education system, as well as Christian values.
Schedules are filled with standard classes and the teachers are an even mix of Americans and Albanians. Students in grades 6-9 are taught in their native language, and student’s grades 10-12 learn in strictly English. It’s a different teaching mechanism, and for some students it causes more harm than good, but it does give students a greater chance of continuing studies abroad.
Up until this point, my Christian school experience seemed very similar to that of my American public school. Other than the occasional poster, Jesus has just been a bible verse on the wall. He hasn’t been mentioned in classes and He hasn’t been referenced in daily life, He is essentially a silent contributor to the school.
During my second week of ministry I found myself sitting in 10th grade math class revisiting equations and playing babysitter. Naturally, I expected today to be like any other day, so you can imagine my surprise when I looked up to see John 8 (the story of the woman who committed adultery, yet no one could cast the first stone) projected on the wall. A warm up activity presented to the students, this chapter was used to start conversation about the recent attacks on Paris.
What started off as a seemingly easy chapter to discuss turned into an uproar of disregarding questions and statements from students who knowingly attend a “Christian school”. I was baffled at the lack of knowledge these students had about the Bible, but then I started thinking back to conversations with them, and even teachers. Had we ever talked about Jesus? Do they know why 7 North Americans are in Albania? No. But why?
I remember having a conversation with one of the American teachers where she explained how the parents of these students expect a practical education for their children; they cannot be expected to pay the amount of money they do and have their children sit through religious classes. Then why send your children to a Christian School?
I had no words.
But it did get me thinking. As a whole, the Christian community has gone to great lengths to make sure the rest of the world knows we are Christians. We’ve mass produced bumper stickers, memes, tattoos filled with verses, the list could really go on forever, but how many of us are truly pursing a relationship with Christ and living the way he intended us to? Are we actually educating ourselves, or are we okay with settling for the title?
1 Peter 3:8-9 tells us to “..love each other as brothers and sisters. Be tenderhearted, and keep a humble attitude. Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing…”
However, with all the controversy in the world and the freedom we have to state our own opinions, I’m struggling to see Christians living this out. Myself included. Making sure my needs are met takes over my ability to fully put someone else before me, but this isn’t the way Christ lived, this isn’t why he sacrificed his life for ours.
We should be proud to display ourselves as Christian. If that comes in the form of a bumper sticker, tattoo, or even a school, don’t be ashamed! Just make sure you have the actions to make up those words.
I’m not saying all Christians are okay with settling for only the title, I’m just simply asking, is Jesus more than a bumper sticker to you?
