Michael Evans, Assistant Director of ACSI Urban School Services
The parable of the wedding banquet in Matthew 22 reveals the heart of the Father and His interest in serving “the least of these” (Matthew 25:45). After several refuse the king’s invitation to join the wedding banquet, the king commissions his servants to go and find all sorts of people to come to the multiple days of feasting and celebration. They get the invitations, and many come.
When all these guests arrive, the king begins to welcome all his guests, only to find that one does not have a wedding garment, a requirement to attend the wedding. So that guest is removed from the festivities and very strongly chastised. How rude it is, one may surmise, to invite people who may be poor to an event and then chastise them so strongly for not being prepared.
In order to more fully appreciate the parable, one must realize that in biblical times the responsibility of clothing the wedding guests rested on the host of the wedding. The king would have provided a wedding garment for each person; this guest refused to wear the garment. Then the guest was escorted out of the wedding feast.
Three implications for Christian schools rise to the surface. First, schools must enlarge their “admissions guest list” to include those who are in greatest need, not merely those who are of greatest means. Second, school leaders and educators must be prepared to “clothe” those invited students and ensure that they have all they need to be successful. Education must no longer be limited to just teaching various subject matters; educators and leaders need to first provide tools and resources to needy students so that they can participate meaningfully in learning. Third, however, the students and families must be held responsible for “putting on” what is needed for academic success and demonstrating a willingness to work hard and respond to strong academic
rigor. These students and families cannot become the victims of teachers’ pity or low expectations. They must be held to high standards of productivity. Given the right tools and the right environment, many under-resourced and underserved children demonstrate a high degree of academic competence.
As school choice legislation and more educational opportunities come, these victories require schools and leaders to rethink the whole business of Christian education and to prepare adequately. What if they all come, including the academically needy and the educationally disabled?
Many Christian schools have grown accustomed to a rather static population: average to above-average learners who have supportive parents and minimal academic challenges. Things are changing. Schools must be better prepared to serve a more-diverse population that comes from a variety of previous educational experiences and that has a variety of academic needs. Teachers must be equipped with the skills to serve this diverse student population. Canned textbooks may need to be abandoned to give way to creative educators who identify each child’s needs and then create a curricular plan to target specific areas of deficit. And students and families need hope—a hope that inspires hard work, sacrifices, and a commitment to academic improvement—in an environment that is supportive and Christ honoring.
Again, what if they all come? Joseph was prepared in the time of famine to share the wealth of Egypt with famished nations who would come to find food. Noah intentionally prepared for the preservation of animals—his acts of obedience. Will we be prepared when economic barriers to Christian education fall and needy students begin to fill seats once occupied by only well-prepared, well-resourced, and well-supported students?
The parable of the wedding banquet speaks of three components: the broad invitation, the preparations of the host, and the initiative of the invitees. If school choice initiatives are going to make an impact on students, all three of these components must be employed. Schools must invite, broadly and with a heart attitude of acceptance and affirmation. And when these needy students come, educators must be prepared, going above and beyond in providing excellence in education in a way such that each child can grow and thrive. And students and families must be responsible, taking appropriate initiative and showing a sense of ownership for personal academic progress.
We must send out the invitations. We must be prepared, and we must expect students and families to do their part.
What if they all come?
I trust we will be ready.
The Meantime 8.2