How often have we said or thought ‘I just want my kids to be happy’?
This inherently makes sense to us. We all know what it is like to parent and support a child who is not feeling happy – it can be hard work. So, it is perhaps natural that we want this for our children, as if we can relax a little when we know that they are happy.
Happiness can seem like the solution to all of life’s struggles. But as human beings who have lived a little, we understand that happiness is not a permanent state of being; that it is one of a range of emotions. We rarely feel ‘happy’ all day let alone consistently over a longer period of time so why do we expect this of and even demand it for our children?
“...as human beings who have lived a little, we understand that happiness is not a permanent state of being; that it is one of a range of emotions.”
As a parent, I have often sought to shield my own children from things that I see as harmful for them but as they grew, I quickly realised that my ability to do this and to manage their emotional responses to ups and downs of life became increasingly limited. As much as I want them to feel happy, I realise that happiness is not always the right response. We are not going to feel happy when we see news of conflict in the Ukraine or think about some of the tensions and struggles in our own lives; happiness can be an unhelpful measure to apply.
Jesus did not promise that we would be consistently happy or that life would be easy. He did promise that His joy would be in us so that our ‘joy may be complete’ (John 15:11). He came to bring us something far more valuable than a temporary emotional response, a sure and certain hope.
“If I have one desire for my children and for our students, it is that they might be people of hope, not a vain hope but a confident hope. ”
If I have one desire for my children and for our students, it is that they might be people of hope, not a vain hope but a confident hope. What better gift can I give my children or greater encouragement than for them than to know this hope found in a personal relationship with God. This is a hope that will be their reference point for life rather than a shallow chasing after an emotion or feeling.
At the heart of Christian Education is a plan that our children would be taught about this hope, that life would make sense through an understanding of God’s plans and purposes for the world. The message of the Christian school and Christian home is that there is a bigger picture, a higher purpose, and a confident hope for the future. This Easter is a great opportunity to find out more about the hope found in Jesus Christ.
Scott Ambrose — Principal