Day 150 Mission Statements

 

5/30/2025 

 

Last night I was too busy to formulate any cohesive thoughts, so I will be piecing yesterday's reflections together from my copious notes. I tend to write a lot in my journals, personal and the prayer journal for Israel, and I try to tie them together, which isn't really difficult to do. As I mentioned the day before, I am reading about Job's misadventures, his sufferings, betrayals, and doubts. When God allowed Job's trials, He only told satan that he could not take his life. Many times I've been pounded from all sides, and right now, because I've been laying low, so to speak, things have quieted down. At least on the family end of things, although I would rather it be different. I'm learning to lay things down and wait, but sometimes the silence can be deafening.

Most of our prayer time has been centered on the rise in antisemitism, especially as been witnessed on college campuses. It is interesting to me how much feelings have changed, philosophies, really, or I might even say theologies. Let's take a look at Harvard University for starters. Here's their "mission statement" when they were first established:

"Let every student be plainly instructed, and earnestly pressed to consider well. The main end of this life and studies is to know God and Jesus Christ which is eternal life."

Today it has changed to the following:

"The mission statement of Harvard College is to educate the citizens and citizen-leaders for our society. We do this through our commitment to the transformative power of a liberal arts and sciences education." 

Quite a difference in role and character from the vision of the founding fathers whose eyes were focused on the only One who has the power to transform a mind for righteousness and moral integrity. In researching the difference between Harvard College and Harvard University, both share the same mission statement. Harvard has several branches of specialized training to include law, medicine, and divinity. The mission and vision for the School of Divinity are: 

"Harvard Divinity School educates students of religion for intellectual leadership, professional service, and ministry."

"To provide an intellectual home where scholars and professionals from around the globe research and teach the varieties of religion, in service of a just world at peace across religious and cultural divides."

This reminds me of when women wanted to be independent and be able to vote, the woman suffrage movement. Back in those chaotic days of change and revolution in America, had merit. Women should have equal rights to vote, but I believe things go better when we follow God's way of doing things. Back in those days, only white men could vote, and everyone else was consider lesser. Thankfully, many things have changed, but battles still ensure, and the new demon of "entitlement" is on the rampage. This is one I've wrestled with when working for Medicare/Medicaid recipients. All I'll say is that there is a lot of deception, wrong thinking, and yes, fraud, that can come when matters are not handled with integrity and transparency.

So now, let's take a look see at Yale University. Their mission statement at the beginning was:

"Every student shall consider the main end of this study. To wit is to know God in Jesus Christ, and answerably to lead a Godly, sober life." 

And today: 

 "Yale is committed to improving the world today and for future generations through outstanding research and scholarship, education, preservation, and practice. Yale educates aspiring leaders worldwide who serve all sectors of society. We carry out this mission through the free exchange of ideas in an ethical, interdependent, and diverse community of faculty, staff, students, and alumni."

While this may not disturb anyone, to include pastors and those who follow Christ's teachings, as it does to the extent it does me, it should. It is bad enough to watch what is happening across the globe as riots and protestors are rallying against Israel, but the lack of concern shown by the church at large is sickening, especially here in our own United States. Like it or not, the children of Israel are God's chosen people, as stated in the Bible both in the Old and New Testaments. Romans chapters 10 and 11 present the story from Paul's teaching. Whereas I cannot say that I was taught the meaning of these scriptures when I was growing up, nevertheless, I was wise enough in my own study and in conversations with God to know the truth. In our prayer sessions we are told to examine our hearts, to surrender to Christ, and in doing so, we no longer matter, we die to our conceptions and perspectives. All that matters is the truth who is Jesus Christ. The wonderful news is that as believers, true believers that is, we have been grafted into the Vine, Jesus Christ, rooted in God's love, and we are now joint heirs with Christ and our Messianic Jewish brethren. 

I am grateful for my upbringing, mostly sitting at the feet of Jesus over all these years. This is important stuff. It is the Word of God, and it is life eternal. It should be of prime importance to every Christian, and it needs to be shared. Then perhaps the world would become more enlightened and love the Jewish people who want nothing else but to live in peace with their neighbors.