The Follower and Writer

John Taylor Gatto on American Education

“The entire purpose of Hindu schooling was to preserve the caste system. Only the lucky 5 percent received an education which gave perspective on the whole, a key to understanding. In actual practice, warriors, administrators, and most of the other leaders were given much diluted insight into the driving engines of the culture, so that policy could be kept in the hands of Brahmins. But what of the others, the “masses” as Western socialist tradition would come to call them in an echoing tribute to the Hindu class idea? The answer to that vital question launched factory schooling in the West.” - John Taylor Gatto,The Underground History of Compulsory Education

There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Gal. 3:28)

Deuteronomy 9:1-3 “Going into the Jordan”

Deuteronomy 9: 1-3

 1 “Hear, O Israel: You are to cross over the Jordan today, and go in to dispossess nations greater and mightier than yourself, cities great and fortified up to heaven, 2 a people great and tall, the descendants of the Anakim, whom you know, and of whom you heard it said, ‘Who can stand before the descendants of Anak?’ 3 Therefore understand today that the Lord your God is He who goes over before you as a consuming fire. He will destroy them and bring them down before you; so you shall drive them out and destroy them quickly, as the Lord has said to you. (NKJV)

In this sermon found in the book of Deuteronomy, Moses starts by telling Israel to hear, for they are going to finally enter the Promised Land. However, they must first cross the Jordan. In our own lives, we have to cross a barrier of some kind. I don’t know what it is for you, but we have to cross a barrier in order to inherit our promises the Lord has watched over.

Then Moses says they are to “go in to dispossess nations greater and mightier than yourself, cities great and fortified up to heaven, a people great and tall, the descendants of the Anakim, whom you know, and of whom you heard it said, ‘Who can stand before the descendants of Anak?’”. The Anakim, if you’re curious, were creatures of a large stature, most likely remnants of the Sons of God(Gen. 6:1-4). Nevertheless, the text shows that there are nations and men stronger than us, but the Lord calls us to go up against them. My brethren, please understand that Christianity calls us to step out of our comfort zones.

In the next verse, it starts out “Therefore understand today”. Not tomorrow, not Sunday, not the service where you feel holy enough. Understand TODAY. Today’s Christianity often thinks that the individual needs some spiritual insight or feeling. Brethren, understand that if the Lord made you at his will, he can give you understanding at his will. All you need do is ask.

When we take the Lord on his promises, he prepares our ways for us.  He does not leave us to forge our own path; he continuously looks over the promises he has given us. That is why the Lord says that he will go before them.

When Moses tells the people, “He will destroy them and bring them down before you; so you shall drive them out and destroy them quickly, as the Lord has said to you”, I see it as a parallel to evangelism. The Anak were much more overpowering to the Hebrew people, so the Lord went before them and made it possible for them to take over the Promised Land. Like disciples and the Holy Spirit, God goes before us and works in people that we disciple to.

Take God on his promises, and he will be faithful to see them through.

This is the Follower, writing for all my brethren. God Bless.

Words from a Servant of Christ: The Rewards of Christ vs. The Rewards of Man

Philosophy class started.

My professor posted some stuff up. Now, watch a video on the Greeks, or do an extra credit essay to make up for my missed points on the syllabus quiz?

Critiquing Tips: Pluses and Deltas

Going through all the papers in my room, I came across a notecard I had written on from a past ASB(Associated Student Body) meeting. I looked at it, recognizing how I used pluses and deltas to categorize my thoughts on different proposals.

Here’s how it goes.

On one side, you have your pluses. The things that are going well. When I did this in ASB, I would write a plus sign, and then underline it. If I liked something about the person’s proposal, I wrote it under the plus sign.

Then there’s your deltas. On the right, I would write a delta sign(like in the adjacent image) and underline it. When there was something I wasn’t too sure of, or thought could be improved, I would write my thoughts down there.

A few words on this from LSS Academy (link here):

 The biggest mistake

The biggest mistake people make with pluses and deltas revolves around the proper definition of a delta. Deltas are NOT complaints. For example, if the room was too hot during the day a complaint would be “the room was too hot.” A delta would be “please make the room cooler.” There is a big difference.

The reason this is so important is because the person running the meeting or training class should act on every delta they can. For example, I was running a Six Sigma training class once and got a delta “please provide sweet tea in afternoon.” This was an excellent delta since I could act on it – and I did. Subsequently, the next day there was a plus saying “thanks for the sweet tea!” Little acts like getting someone sweet tea can turn a good training session or meeting into a great one. So if all you get are complaints it can be hard to act on them. Good deltas, however, are easy to act on.

Second biggest mistake

The second biggest mistake people make is to argue or debate with the class or meeting attendees about deltas. If someone wants the room cooler don’t make any wise comments like, “I thought the temperature was fine.” As an administrator of the meeting or training class what you think matters little.

In short, pluses and deltas separate your thoughts when critiquing someone. On one hand, you have praise for the person. On the other, you have suggestions on how they can improve.

This is the Writer, trying to follow Yahshua in all my ways. God Bless.

Washington Post: Sandy Jenkins on Tim Tebow