Greek Studies: A Letter to Benjamin

Dear Ben,

You started BCS Greek on Monday.  Tuesday you missed class to come to the Staff Day Away, partly to help me haul all my stuff, partly because it's a hard thing to miss.  You helped at the first Sup 'n Stuff Tuesday evening, and we had a really late night (well, for us).

And Wednesday after class you were feeling overwhelmed, behind, lost. 

It's a year's worth of Greek crammed into 8 painful weeks.  Connie wasn't kidding when she said it's "Suicide Greek."  And to spice things up, if you don't pass the Greek exam at the end, you can't start seminary this fall.  You don't really seem to get rattled about stuff like that, but that's the kind of thing I can lie awake meditating on at 2:30am.

But God didn't bring you here to paralyze you with fear of failure.  For both of us, here's another chance to check the box of our inadequacy and throw all our eggs into the basket of God's faithful care (to mix my metaphors).

Like we've considered before, this really isn't about Greek.  Well, not only about Greek.

Another lesson in faithful labor at the task at hand.
Another lesson in relinquishing some fun, carefree, short-term preferences because something of greater value is at stake.
Another lesson in committing our cares to God, who cares for us.
Another lesson in finding His grace sufficient for our weakness.
Another lesson in waiting on the Lord, to see what help He will bring.
Another lesson in joyful perseverance through the sometimes hard slogging of daily work.
Another lesson in letting Him order our steps and prioritize the tasks of each day.
Another lesson in His perfect provision when our supplies are tapped out.

I was hulling strawberries, thinking about your goal in studying this Greek.

To "be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth" (2 Tim. 2:15).

To entrust "the things which you have heard ... to faithful men who will be able to teach others also" (2 Tim. 2:2).

To "endure all things for the sake of those who are chosen, so that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus and with it eternal glory" (2 Tim. 2:9).

It might feel like a lot of grammar and vocab, but underneath that I trust that God is using this to shape your heart.

We've been so privileged to be shepherded by some very noble men.

I pray that Victor grows to see you shepherd others nobly, in whatever context God will bring us.

I love you,
Amy