In my life before education, I worked in the business world for 16 years. Everything was about the bottom-line. A business just can't run if it doesn't make money. It's not like the federal government than doesn't have to worry about profit and loss. Education is just like the business world. We have limited funding and have to live within our means. The big difference is in the profit. Although I don't like the idea that our kids are products, they do represent the profits of our efforts. We are profitable if our efforts produce citizens that contribute to the community. If the students we graduate can't produce in the changing world, we ALL will lose. Just like in the business world, as an employee, I better maintain some pretty high standards in the quality of my workmanship. If not, I should be fired. The debate is how to measure. Unlike many of my colleagues, I relish the opportunity to show off what I do. If someone has a better way, I want to learn it and make my school more "profitable". I welcome the challenge of overcoming standardized tests, working with kids that have no home support, and dealing with limited resources. I feel I'm up to the challenge. The bottom line: are we graduating responsible, productive citizens.
As a Christian the stakes are even higher. Am I a profitable Christian? Am I producing fruit for the kingdom of God? Am I doing everything I can to bring the lost to Christ? There will be judgement and those who do not bear fruit will be thrown into the fire. People will literally die if I don't do my job. The bottom line is simple, we need to save the world through Christ. I need to stop worrying more about the things of this world and more about his kingdom! We will never be profitable until all are saved.
For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? (Mark 8:36 KJV)
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