What's the Biggest Difference?

The most common question I get from people at my new school when I say, "I came from a private school far away from here" is, "What is the biggest difference between public and private school?" To every person that has asked, I'm able to create a new answer because there are a million differences. I suppose I could go on listing them all, but that would get tiresome. I'll just move on to the one that has impacted me the most.

The most impactful difference I've found is my favorite thing about my new school. I don't know if all public schools are like this, and I don't want to stereotype. But I know this to be true of the school I attend, its faculty, and its students: everybody I've met thus far is very open and curious to new things. Especially when that thing is religion. I have not met many religious people, but everybody I've talked to asks me about mine (I'm not very good at hiding it, so I've been told). They think it's cool that I live out what I believe. I may not go out and drink with them or allow them to cheat off my papers, but they admire my loyalty to the God I love and believe in. I always believed I'd get made fun of, but that certainly is not the case.

God has been gracious and has softened the hearts of the people I've interacted with. He's surrounded me with people that respect my decisions, religion, and morals. I don't know if this will always be the case, so I appreciate this time I have in the place I am.

How is this different from a private school? I tended to do the same things and believe the same things as everybody else. At a private school, most students are Christians (not a bad thing. I actually miss my Christian community...a lot), and that doesn't leave a lot of room for being different or experiencing someone who may believe something different. I kind of missed out on what to do when somebody doesn't believe in the triune God or that actions won't get you into heaven. I'm really learning from the students at my new school how to do this! If I show interest in how they live (without falling into temptation of course), may be they'll show interest in how I live. One question leads to another, and soon, they're asking me about my Savior, instead of the other way around!

I pray that the Spirit would fill up the students at my old school with boldness to speak to new students and preach to the lost ones. May we all be open to change just as these students I've met at my new school, and may we never be comfortable.

Rachel