Dear MCA Families, September 12, 2017 It has been my pleasure to attend and share a message recently in Secondary Chapel and in both Elementary Chapels. Joining the students and staff in worship is wonderful! The Elementary students, led by Mrs. Linda Smith, Mrs. Kim Mills, and student worship teams, add enthusiasm and depth to the words of their worship songs by adding hand motions and even walking to the left and right as the song may dictate. There is a purity of worship demonstrated when a youngster is so obviously connected to the heart of their Father. In Secondary Chapel, the students are welcomed to come to the front of the sanctuary and worship together. It’s a blessing too often taken for granted to see young adults worshipping and praising the Lord together corporately. These young adults are our future and we are a blessed people! During the school year 1958-1959, the three-star general who was the Superintendent of the United States Military Academy at West Point, delivered a lecture to the Corps of Cadets on leadership. He shared these 9 words: “Be Considerate, Lead by Example”, and “Make Quality a Habit.” He spoke about how these principles were important to them as future military officers, as future husbands and fathers, and in general, as a life motto. At the time, he told the cadets that there was one final portion that he would share with them in the future. In the Spring of 1960, Lieutenant General Garrison Holt Davidson spoke again to the cadets of the Class of 1960, who were soon to graduate. He added those final three words: “Continue to Grow.” This last phrase was the culmination of what is now known as the Twelve Words. Be Considerate Lead by Example Make Quality a Habit Continue to Grow
Transcript
Dear MCA Families, September 12, 2017
It has been my pleasure to attend and share a message recently in Secondary Chapel and in both Elementary Chapels. Joining the students and staff in worship is wonderful! The Elementary students, led by Mrs. Linda Smith, Mrs. Kim Mills, and student worship teams, add enthusiasm and depth to the words of their worship songs by adding hand motions and even walking to the left and right as the song may dictate. There is a purity of worship demonstrated when a youngster is so obviously connected to the heart of their Father. In Secondary Chapel, the students are welcomed to come to the front of the sanctuary and worship together. It’s a blessing too often taken for granted to see young adults worshipping and praising the Lord together corporately. These young adults are our future and we are a blessed people!
During the school year 1958-1959, the three-star general who was the Superintendent of the United States Military Academy at West Point, delivered a lecture to the Corps of Cadets on leadership. He shared these 9 words: “Be Considerate, Lead by Example”, and “Make Quality a Habit.” He spoke about how these principles were important to them as future military officers, as future husbands and fathers, and in general, as a life motto. At the time, he told the cadets that there was one final portion that he would share with them in the future. In the Spring of 1960, Lieutenant General Garrison Holt Davidson spoke again to the cadets of the Class of 1960, who were soon to graduate. He added those final three words: “Continue to Grow.” This last phrase was the culmination of what is now known as the Twelve Words.
Be ConsiderateLead by Example
Make Quality a HabitContinue to Grow
My message to the students in all three Chapels has been centered on these Twelve Words. As a very young child, I was taught these phrases as our family motto. My father was one of those cadets who heard Lt. General Davidson’s teachings and he embraced these words as his own personal motto, passing them on to his children. As situations arose and we faced life together as a family, the truths of God’s Word were amplified through those Twelve Words. As we read Bible stories, we’d talk about which principles were evident in the actions of the Bible characters. These twelve words became guiding principles for our lives. The foundation of the Twelve words comes directly from Biblical examples and we talked about these in the Chapel messages.
In the story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10: 25-37), we find several of these principles modeled. The Good Samaritan
showed consideration to stop and care for the wounded man he encountered in his travels. He led by example in that he did what was needed to care for the person, instead of assuming someone else would or lecturing others to do so. He even brought the man to an inn to take care of him. Finally, the Good Samaritan made quality a habit. After he had cared for the man who had been beaten, stripped, and robbed, he gave two denarii to the innkeeper to pay for the man’s expenses and promised to pay any additional expenses when he returned. Jesus himself instructed his listeners to “Go and do likewise.” In Luke 10:37.
In the account of where Jesus turned water into wine at the wedding banquet (John 2:1-11), Jesus honored his mother’s request to help. The host family would have been shamed to have run out of wine for the wedding feast. Jesus not only miraculously saved the day, but He made wine that was superior to what had been served previously (vs. 11). He made quality a habit.
Jesus washed His disciples’ feet in John 13:1-17. Jesus showed humility and consideration when he took off His outer garments, assumed the role of a servant, and one at a time washed the feet of His disciples. He knew He would soon be betrayed and yet He even washed the feet of the man who was about to betray Him. Jesus led by example. In the Gospel of John, Jesus said, “Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.” (vs. 13-17)
In looking at these four phrases that encompass the Twelve Words, I asked the students to help identify Bible stories or Biblical characters which exemplify these principles for living. Perhaps as a family you can follow-up on this exercise and brainstorm additional examples and discuss them together.
Be Considerate:
Matthew 7: 12 “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.”
Jesus heals the ear of the guard who is trying to arrest him. (John 18)
Jesus heals the woman with an issue of blood (Matthew 9:19-22)
Jesus heals two blind men (Matthew 9: 27-30) / Many healing miracles Jesus performed.
Jesus turning the water into wine to keep the host family from being embarrassed. The Good Samaritan stopping and helping the man who was beaten up and left at the side of
the road. Jesus showing humility and care for His disciples and humbling Himself as a servant to wash the
feet of the disciples.
Lead by Example:
Jesus fed the 5,000 men plus women and children / Jesus also fed 4,000 men plus women and children in a different situation.
Joshua – Battle of Jericho and marching around the wall
Mordaci – story of Ester – refused to bow down
Shadrach, Meshach; and Abednego (Daniel 1-3) – refused to bow down and worship the golden image
Moses – obeying God’s Word and leading the Israelites out of Egypt
Paul – 3 Missionary journeys Mary (story of Mary and
Martha) – time with Jesus Noah – obedient and faithful
to build the Ark
Make Quality a Habit:
Colossians 3:23 “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.”
Woman used valuable perfume and her own hair to anoint Jesus’ feet (Sinful woman in Luke 7: 36-50 and Mary in John 12:1-11)
Ruth: Obed says of Ruth that she comes every day to care for the needs of her mother-in-law
David: Saul is trying to kill him and David could slay Saul but David recognizes that Saul is God’s anointed for that time so he only cuts of a piece of his robe.
David: Tending the sheep and the battle with the Philistines
Continue to Grow:
II Timothy 2:15 “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
II Timothy 3: 14-17 “Continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of…” Luke 2:52 “And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.”
How can we apply these principles in our lives?
Classroom rules for conduct How we complete our homework/ project/
report in school How we treat others Our attitude regarding our chores As we compete on our sports teams
(preparation/training and game days) As we are members of groups such as Choir,
Band, Drama (preparation and performance days)
As we consider our interactions with our family and family relationships
Making decisions
Looking forward in life decisions
Military members are occasionally presented a special coin as a token of special thanks, for accomplishing a tough mission, or in recognition of their heroic or significant acts. These coins are highly valued and displayed prominently or carried in their pockets. I want to use the model of a military coin to have a way to give special honor and recognition to those who are exemplifying one or more of these principles found in the Twelve Words. Positive reinforcement and a visual reminder are both highly beneficial.
In the Secondary Chapel, I awarded a newly minted Maranatha Christian Academy coin to the following people:
Ty Caffrey, Brin Eisele, Emma Prowell, Cooper Hartwick, Morgan Wilcox, Jack Porter, and Gabe Porter. These young adults are leaders on our student worship team this year and/or they came and led worship for our staff during staff orientation. These wonderful young adults give of their time, are constantly perfecting their skills, and lead their classmates in worship around the throne.
Mr. Bryan Burdette Coach Burdette has a philosophy of coaching football that is inspiring. He is constantly looking for ways to disciple the young men and women in his classes and on his team. He’s a fabulous mentor. Coach Burdette leads by example in each of these principles represented in the Twelve Words.
In the Elementary Chapels, we compared these Twelve Words to the SOAR words that Mrs. Howell has taught the students. I was very impressed by the students’ knowledge of the principles of SOAR and their ability to draw the parallels with the Twelve Words and Scriptural examples.
In Upper Elementary Chapel, I awarded the following Maranatha coins:
Be Considerate: Aiden Emanuels Lead by Example: Peter Heddings Make Quality a Habit: Richard Enna Continue to Grow: Nicholas Brownlee Make Quality a Habit: Mrs. Hughes
Lead by Example: Mrs. Mills
In the Lower Elementary Chapel, I awarded the following Maranatha coins to the student leadership of the worship team and those who led in pledges, sign language, and prayer:
Emma Wykoff, Rose Baumler, Violet Porter, Isabella Dehn, and Eva Hugunin Margo Garcia-Scutari, Jonah Knight, Ian Castro, and Johanna Ayana
In the future, the plan is to ask staff members to help me to identify others whose attitude, actions, and choices exemplify the principles of the Twelve Words, and they will be presented Maranatha coins as well. It is my hope that this motto and the Biblical examples of these principles will become a personal motto for our students, staff, and the Maranatha family as a whole.
As a parent, my hope is that the principles of God’s Word permeate every area of my life including my parenting. I am certain you have the same aspirations for your own life. As I get older and am beginning to get those silver lines of distinguishment show up in my brown hair, I wonder what sort of legacy I’ll have as a wife, mother, daughter, sister, aunt, grandmother, Head of School, Christian leader, friend, and neighbor. I’d like it to be said of me when I’m enjoying the presence of the Lord Jesus, that I was follower of Jesus Christ, considerate, led by example, made quality a habit, and continued to grow. May we all aspire to walk in such a way to honor Him!
Parents and Grandparents are always welcome to join us for Chapels. Secondary Chapel is on Wednesdays in the sanctuary of Cross Points Christian Church at 10:30 am. Upper Elementary Chapel is on Fridays in the Multi-Purpose room on the south campus at 12:30 pm. Lower Elementary Chapel is on Fridays in the Multi-Purpose room on the north campus at 2:15 pm.
