Who's in the room?

Several years ago, I attended an educator’s conference where a gentleman named Ben shared a story that I’ll never forget. A few years earlier, the presidential election campaigning was getting underway, with a large number of candidates from both sides of the aisle vying for their party’s nomination. Ben had been asked by one of the candidates to serve on the campaign staff.  He agreed, and the next few weeks were a whirlwind of events, speeches, and campaign stops in town after town.  
 Because this particular presidential candidate had received several death threats, the U.S. Secret Service had assigned the candidate a protective detail of security agents. Whenever the campaign was planning to hold a private meeting with outside individuals, they had to clear their guest list in advance with the Secret Service.   

One evening, Ben had organized a small meet-and-greet with the candidate and some donors which was to be held in the conference room of a hotel. Just as the event was about to start, the lead Secret Service agent abruptly pulled him aside and handed him a piece of paper.
​
“There are 14 names on this list!” the agent snapped in a rather agitated manner.
"I’m sorry, what?” replied Ben.
“There are 14 names on this list!” the agent repeated in an even firmer tone.
“I’m sorry, I don’t understand,” Ben apologized.
The agent pointed to the list and then to the room. “There are only 14 names on the approved list you submitted. But there are 15 people in this room.  Who is unaccounted for?”

Embarrassed, Ben quickly scanned the list and then the room. “Oh, I see the mistake. It’s Tom.  He’s a good friend of ours. He was a last-minute addition. I forgot to let you know. But he’s totally cool.  Not a threat. It’s just our friend Tom.”

The agent looked Ben in the eye and said something very profound...
 “If you care at all about your candidate, you need to start caring about who’s in the room.”

Several years ago, I attended an educator’s conference where a gentleman named Ben shared a story that I’ll never forget. A few years earlier, the presidential election campaigning was getting underway, with a large number of candidates from both sides of the aisle vying for their party’s nomination. Ben had been asked by one of the candidates to serve on the campaign staff.  He agreed, and the next few weeks were a whirlwind of events, speeches, and campaign stops in town after town.  
 
Because this particular presidential candidate had received several death threats, the U.S. Secret Service had assigned the candidate a protective detail of security agents. Whenever the campaign was planning to hold a private meeting with outside individuals, they had to clear their guest list in advance with the Secret Service.   

One evening, Ben had organized a small meet-and-greet with the candidate and some donors which was to be held in the conference room of a hotel. Just as the event was about to start, the lead Secret Service agent abruptly pulled him aside and handed him a piece of paper.
​
“There are 14 names on this list!” the agent snapped in a rather agitated manner.
"I’m sorry, what?” replied Ben.
“There are 14 names on this list!” the agent repeated in an even firmer tone.
“I’m sorry, I don’t understand,” Ben apologized.

The agent pointed to the list and then to the room. “There are only 14 names on the approved list you submitted. But there are 15 people in this room.  Who is unaccounted for?”

Embarrassed, Ben quickly scanned the list and then the room. “Oh, I see the mistake. It’s Tom.  He’s a good friend of ours. He was a last-minute addition. I forgot to let you know. But he’s totally cool.  Not a threat. It’s just our friend Tom.”

The agent looked Ben in the eye and said something very profound...
 “If you care at all about your candidate, you need to start caring about who’s in the room.”
 
Who’s in the Room with Your Children?
God has commanded us as parents to provide for and protect our children.  God entrusts their care to us, and we are to “Train up a child in the way he should go . . .” (Proverbs 22:6) and to
 “. . . bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” (Ephesians 6:4)
A huge part of protecting our children from those who would do them harm is carefully controlling who has access to them. Not just for their physical safety, but for their spiritual, educational, emotional, and relational safety as well. We get to know their friends; we monitor their online activities; we limit their exposure to harmful things or harmful people; and we choose their schooling very carefully.

So, who’s in the room with your children each day? Who are the voices speaking into their lives and shaping their worldview, moment by moment, day after day?

This is why your local church and youth ministry is so important. This is why surrounding your children with godly friends is so important.  This is why your example as a parent is so important. And this is why the school you choose for your children is so important. 

At Wilmington Christian School, one of our key distinctions is who we place in front of your children each day. Teachers have a powerful influence on the development of a child. And while no teacher is perfect, we are unapologetic about the high standards we hold for our faculty. Each of our teachers knows the Lord as his or her personal savior. They are not just qualified and gifted educationally, but they serve as spiritual role models for our students in how they are growing in their faith and living out God’s design before their students. We like to say that our teachers are the “living curriculum.”  

Remember Jesus’s words in Luke 6:40: “A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher.” This is one of the many reasons WCS is honored to partner with you in the training of your children. In the hours of each day when your children are not with you, we are protecting them from the Enemy’s lies and guiding them toward Christ in a way that mirrors the protection and faith that you are instilling at home.  

Just like you, we care deeply about who’s in the room.

Educating for Eternity,

Jonathan Nazigian
WCS Headmaster

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