To all the children in the neighborhood, the couple who lived in the corner house were friendly and old. In reality, they were likely in their late 40s or early 50s.
They had a knack for connecting with children and their own home was filled with children: some theirs, some adopted and some foster. Their home was always a busy hub of happy activity.
There was something else the couple valued: music education.
We all called them Mr. and Mrs. K as their Eastern European last name was harder for children to pronounce.
Mr. K worked for the public library system at the time when music CDs were becoming popular. He campaigned for children 12 and younger to be able to borrow library CDs, especially for classical music, for free. The normal check-out rate for adults was $1 per CD.
Meanwhile, Mrs. K turned her love of music into accessible piano lessons. She charged neighborhood children a mere $2 per half-hour lesson.
Her piano sat at the heart of the home, perfectly positioned between the kitchen, living room and home office. As my fingers ran scales or stumbled over notes in C.P.E. Bach’s Solfeggietto, the aromas of a roast in the oven or a pot of beans simmering on the stove filled the air. For this family, music and education were as natural as the rhythms of daily life.
Not only did I learn and memorize my first and only piece of classical music under Mrs. K’s tutelage, but I also absorbed an important life lesson that I didn’t fully understand until adulthood.
Through their faith- and values-based dedication, my neighbors showcased what it means to live an abundant life of generosity. They used the talents and time God entrusted to them, creating beauty and joy in their corner of the world through the gift of music.
In my interactions with our Adventist education system both personally and professionally, I regularly see parents, grandparents and friends of the school investing their time as crossing guards, music teachers, bus drivers, tutors, lunch providers, room parents, board members and general volunteers.
Beyond this list of school supporters are our talented education professionals who pour their hearts and souls into nurturing young people for God’s kingdom every day.
Together, these school heroes reflect the spirit of Christ by generously giving their time and talent to make our school communities and neighborhoods a nurturing place for young people to grow in faith, academic knowledge and a Christian worldview.
As 1 Peter 4:10 reminds us, “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.”
May you also use the gifts God has given you to invest deeply, broadly and humbly in the generations in your local church, school and community.
Table Talk Prompt:
In what ways are you currently supporting the education and growth of children, and how might you expand or deepen that involvement?
