Walking The Boards To A Succesful Life

Common Sense Commentary: I wrote the following article, "Walking The Boards", for the October 1973 issue of Word Of Truth Ministries in Tallahassee, Florida just after a heavy rain. Following this reprint is an update on some of these children today, twenty seven years later.

At that time I was Pastor and Founder of Temple Baptist Church and North Florida Christian Schools and was in my office overlooking the campus. of the Tallahassee School.

Walking The Boards

Looking out my office window, I see a classic example of the reason for Temple Baptist Church and North Florida Christian Scho0ls. A long line of elementary boys and girls, who look like second or third graders, are going back to class from chapel. Each is unique in his or her own way, yet equally special to God and to us.

The only way these children can get in and out of chapel, at this time, is by the muddy unpaved road behind the church. A lot of old boards have been laid out from the door to the parking lot for them to walk on. It is quite a sight to see each of these beautiful children devise his or her own way of staying on the boards and out of the mud. It is very difficult for uncoordinated youngsters to keep their balance when the boards are leaning and crooked and sometimes slippery.

I see one little boy who wants to leave the boards and climb the muddy hill as a short cut. Another is tempted almost beyond resistance to run out on to the football field to spend the day in play. Another little boy is mischievously stepping on the heels of the boy in front of him nearly causing him to step off the board. Several little girls look like beginner ballet dancers with their arms outstretched tiptoeing across the ugly boards.

Out at the head of this uncoordinated little column is a surefooted, graceful teacher who knows exactly where she is going. Sometimes even leaders step in the mud or fall on their faces, but not this teacher and not this day. She has a job to do, children to teach, and she will not waste her time or theirs complaining about the rain or boards or inconvenience of life's, all too common, mud.

If we do the job which Go has assigned us, for these children and for their parents, we will help them learn to walk the boards of life, reach their destination and fulfill their God's purpose for them. One day these children will be agile, streamlined athletes, poised and gentle mothers, courageous, articulate statesmen, or maybe even a sure-footed, graceful teacher ... leading the way ... across the boards.

The above scene took place twenty seven years ago in October. It was preceded and followed by many years of planning, work, prayer and sacrifice on the part of those teachers and the children's parents, and our entire staff and church.

EPILOGUE

So, whatever happened to those young students, so innocent, pliable and awkward, twenty seven years ago ? I have returned to Tallahassee several times over the years and get regular updates from friends and co-workers there.Most of those children are parents and even a few grandparents now. I have seen some ,waving Old Glory at me, in a Veteran's Day parade, and many at funerals and church services who are now teachers, superintendent of schools, principles, doctors, nurses, pastors, Military academy and college graduates, law officers, business men or women, inventors, missionaries, counselors, full time Christian Ministries, public office holders, and several hundred other successful vocations. My own children and grandchildren who attended North Florida Christian are successful in all areas of the computer field, physics, military officer, prison staff, realtor, hi tech, Christian ministries, college finance, and in college or other vocations. The thing I am most thankful for is, that all of our children and grand/great grand children, old enough, are Christians serving our Lord except two or three. Second to that is, they are wonderful, successful parents. As a bonus, all 59 or 60 ... or 61 of them are political conservatives except maybe two or three who don't know or care what that means. All of them are patriots and good citizens.

To close this, Mrs Blair and I want to thank the hundreds of sacrificial Temple Baptist Church members, North Florida Christian teachers, staff, principles and our dear friend and superintendent of our schools, Jim Pound, for your faithful service to our Lord and loyalty to me in that great ministry which made it all possible. Brother Pound has gone on to his reward, recently, and I am sure it is a thousand times more than he ever expected. Thank you Lord.

"Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. Pr.22:6

Pass It On To all those mentioned above. RB