Follow your heart...
Merrilynne Shaw, Primary Teacher
In Year 5, our daily class devotions have centred around how our thoughts and actions affect others in good ways and bad ways. As a little girl, I was taught a song by some missionaries, and it went something like this…
Seek them out, get them gone,
All the little rabbits in the field of corn.
Envy, jealousy, malice, and pride,
They must never in my heart abide.
It took me some years to understand the meaning of this song. I grew up reading Beatrix Potter and thought that Peter Rabbit was treated unfairly by Mr McGregor, so how could envy, jealousy, malice and pride be connected with a cute little rabbit?
First, some history. In 1859, Thomas Austin decided to have a Christmas hunt on his land at Winchelsea, near Geelong, Victoria. Envious for life back in the mother country and discontented with the alien and hostile landscape, Thomas decided he would make Australia more like his homeland with the addition of familiar flora and fauna. Thomas asked his brother to send 24 rabbits from England. He released them onto his property. The rabbits bred. In 1866 more than 14,000 were shot on Austin’s estate alone. In another two years, 8,080km2 of farmland surrounding Thomas’ estate had to be abandoned, stripped bare by the rabbits. By 1886, the devastation spread as far north as Queensland. By 1900, it had spread 4,800km across the desert to Western Australia and the Northern Territory. The migration of rabbits in Australia was the fastest of any colonising mammal anywhere in the world. For comparison’s sake, rabbits were introduced into southern England by the Normans in 1066 and, as late as 1950, had scarcely made it 310km north, to Scotland.
Rabbits have a particularly devastating effect on local fauna and flora. There have been many efforts at controlling rabbits in Australia, including shooting, poisoning, rabbit-proof fences, and biological controls such as myxomatosis. To this day, rabbits continue to decimate the country at an estimated cost of $200 million per year.
So the point is, rabbits are a metaphor. They defile and devastate our land just like envy, jealousy, malice, and pride devastate and defile our hearts. Jesus explains that a person’s heart is defiled by what comes out of it, through their thoughts, motives, words, and imagination. Sin is conceived in the human heart, takes root in the human mind, and is put into practice through human action.
He went on: “What comes out of a person is what defiles them. For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance, and folly. All these evils come from inside and defile a person.”
Mark 7:20-23
Jesus does not paint a pretty picture of our hearts. Think about how often we hear things like “follow your heart” or “do what feels right” or “what does your heart tell you?” Jesus tells us that our hearts are the last places to look for advice on being better people. There is also no effective technique that we can devise to clean up our evil inner selves. Thankfully, God has not abandoned us. Through His Spirit, we are made clean. Although we still carry our old sinful hearts, we are no longer alone. The Holy Spirit is constantly at work within us.
Keep praying. Keep reading the Bible. Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus.
Our hearts are in His care and there is no better place to be.
Reminders
- The Parent Portal and Kuyper App will be the primary vehicle for day-to-day communications between the school and parents in 2023. The School Calendar, weekly news, event advice and other essential functions will only be available in the Parent Portal and Kuyper App. At least one parent/carer from each household where your child resides needs access to the portal or app. If you are not already using the App, or need assistance resetting your user account and password, call 4573 2999 and we will assist you to connect.
- Nurture Magazine has been sent home to each family via their eldest child. Look for an article by our very own Ruth Thompson on page 20.
- Lost Property is over-flowing. Please come and check if any of it is yours, as lost property will be discarded or re-sold at the end of the year.
- Parents are reminded to continue testing for COVID and advise us if there is COVID in their household. If concerned, we encourage students to wear a mask at school for their own and others’ protection. In line with NSW Health recommendations, we also ask that close contacts wear a mask indoors and on public transport (including the Kuyper bus) and test regularly. We still have a good supply of RAHT kits. Contact the Office if you would like some sent home.
- Reminder to parents to ensure that all fees are paid by the end of year. Contact the Office if you have any concerns.
- Families who rely on the Busways service need to know that there have been some changes to the timetables until the end of term. Use the buttons below to access the temporary timetables for Term 4.
Prayer & Praise
- Praise God that he continues in his sovereignty through all circumstances. Praise him that he is “the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God” (1 Timothy 1:17), and that he loves us.
- Give thanks for holidays, breaks and changes in rhythm. Pray for connection, peace and safety for all our families during these school holidays. Pray for connection and community to grow for all at Kuyper Christian School, particularly at Limelight!
- Pray for school families and staff families who are coping with illness and accident: Faithfull, Hill, Eastlake, Armstrong, Gubbins, Huxley, Daly. Pray for good rest, connection and healing for all our families, staff and students.
- Give thanks for our Government and those in authority. Pray that they would be led in wisdom and truth to lead our country for the future good of all. Pray that “every person be subject to the governing authorities.” Give thanks that our government has been “instituted by God” (Romans 13:1).
- Give thanks for our Board and Executive team as they interview potential new staff members. Pray for one-ness of purpose for our staff, Board, Executive team, and Association as they plan, prepare and budget for 2023. Praise the Lord for His provision to us all the time.
Congratulations!
Each year, Primary students in the Hawkesbury are invited to design a Christmas card for our local member, Robyn Preston, to send out. Early this year, a representative from Robyn Preston’s office delivered a framed copy of the 2021 runner-up Christmas card entry to the School. It was designed by Bethany, now in Year 5, and is on display in the Kuyper Office.
As lovely as this artwork is, it is not the first time that Bethany has received recognition.
In 2019 Bethany was highly commended for her Christmas card entry, and in 2020 Bethany was shortlisted in the Museum of Fire’s Art Competition. Her artwork was displayed in the Museum’s art exhibition.
There have been many other talented Kuyper students over the years who have won, or been commended in this and other competitions; too many to list! Congratulations Bethany and all our talented artists. Keep honouring God with the gifts He has given you.
