In our recent chapel service, a parallel was drawn between a reindeer guiding the way for gifts to be given, and a bright star guiding the wise men to the greatest gift! While this bright-nosed deer is not mentioned in the Bible, our students quickly connected to this concept. Jesus came to show the way and to model acceptable behavior and living.

He came to help us take “rude off.” When we take “rude off” our sleigh, we’ll be guided to peace. When we take “rude off”, we are loved by others. When we take "rude off", we can allow God’s word, His will, and His way to enter our lives.

St. Philip’s is privileged and proud to proclaim we are a school where it is okay to pray and make an "A". With both, we are able to acknowledge God’s teaching about wages and benefits. As we dive into our Christmas and holiday festivities, let’s all be reminded of the greatest gift and ultimate benefit. The greatest gift we can ever receive is referred to in Romans chapter 6, verse 3, “The gift of God is eternal life.”

As our students promptly noted…failure to keep our "rude off" will lead our sleigh to wages far worse than the Texas minimum wage of $7.25 per hour. Romans 6 tells us about the ultimate rudeness of sin and its wage of death. In the words of one of our third graders, “Dr. Flowers, I can take my rude off but keeping it off is a full-time job”. As our chapel services end each day, let us go in peace to love and serve the Lord.