Principal Points - "You Can Be Any Thing You Want"

Past Principal Points

"You Can Be Anything You Want To Be....?"

"You can be anything you want to be." How often have we heard that statement and not given it another thought? A hundred years ago most people simply picked up the trade of their fathers and did that for a living, whether they enjoyed it or not. Today we live in a society which offers countless possibilities to every young person entering the work force.

And yet, is that statement really true? Can a person be anything they want to be? When one thinks about it, one realizes that this isn’t true at all. It should be obvious that height will be a determining factor in becoming an NBA star; ability with math will determine whether one can become a nuclear physicist; fine motor coordination will determine whether one can become a brain surgeon or not. This idea that one can be anything they wish is a really a humanistic statement based on the philosophy that man is his own creator. The truth is that God has given each individual specific gifts, and from the beginning has prepared good works for him or her to do. (Eph. 2:10)

There are several lessons to be learned from this truth. First, it is more important to discover one’s gifts and calling than to press on and try to become something that may sound exciting but for which one lacks the essential abilities. Second, parents and teachers need to be careful not to push students to achieve in areas for which they have not been gifted. Third, one should not assume that all gifts are currently evident and therefore students should have opportunities to explore a variety of subjects so that they (and their parents and teachers) can get a sense of where their gifts lie.

The role of the home and school then is to provide an environment in which as many doors remain open for every student as long as possible. Both home and school should avoid the two errors of either pushing a student through a door or locking a door. Rather, we should allow them to push at the doors a bit and see if in fact they can be successful in a given area. Parents, teachers, and students can all rest in the fact that God already has a plan for each life and that our role is simply to discover what it is.

Brian Hazeltine, B.Ed., M.A.
Principal, Airdrie Koinonia Christian School