Finishing with honors

"But Daniel resolved not to defile himself..." "To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds..." Daniel 1:8, 17

...honors
The good-byes have begun already. We still have two months to wrap up our work, but with the end of the school year, we are faced with summer vacation (hurray!) and with a few final good-byes. Last week we finished art and music classes. This week the girl's choir performed for the last time. And yesterday, Nathan completed his second year of Estonian national school with honors, among the top students in the school. Proud parents thrill to see him excel in a second language. Have you ever written poetry in an adopted tongue? Are you able to quote the old proverbs in two languages? Our eight year old can.

...behavior counts
We realize that academic excellence is wonderful, but not everything. Our pride grows as we see that not once in two years has Nathan received anything less than a perfect score for behavior. He has been graded weekly. Our young man has "resolved not to defile himself" and has gained the favor of his classmates and teachers. God has given him "knowledge and understanding of all kinds." And no, it has not always been easy with no teacher supervision during recess and classmates who clearly have no respect for God's way of doing things. He has figured out how to navigate a shame-based school system with grace and humor. He has prayed for his classmates daily this entire year, that God would save them and show them the way to know Him. Even an eight year old boy recognizes that a "child is known by his actions, by whether his conduct is pure and right."

...God's goodness in action
So, after cleaning out a very messy desk and collecting most of his things (we are missing a winter coat and one pair of gym shorts), we had to say good-bye to a very lovely teacher. In Estonia one teacher stays with the students from 1st through 4th grade, so this has been his only schoolteacher so far. And so, as I thanked Nathan's teacher, a very typical and very reserved Estonian lady with whom I have never spoken on a personal level, I was shocked to see tears well up in her eyes. She initiated a big hug, and expressed her sadness to see Nathan leave her classroom. Apparently, he will be missed, not just because he earns honors as a student, but because God has used him to bring a measure of God's goodness to a class of 2nd graders. His teacher noticed a difference.

Sometimes we do not see the effects of living a pure life or the answers to our prayers. Are we willing to live "holy", separated, in a foreign land as Daniel did? We are all foreigners in this world, no matter where we live. My boy reminds me to "resolve not to defile" myself, to live "holy". How else will our neighbors, friends, and acquaintances see God's goodness in action?