OUTHSIDESCOOP
800ElmiraAvenue
Durham,NC27707
info@sside.org|www.sside.org
919.688.3535
Staff
OrlanderR.Thomas
SeniorMinister
WilliamA.Stephens
MinisterEmeritus
WileyShearin,Jr.
ElderEmeritus
RickiFuller
Women’sCounselor
CandiceP.Blount
ChurchAdministrator
QuentellaWilliams
ExecutiveAssistant
Deacons
JohnAlcox
AnthnoyGreen,Sr.
ArthurHackney
JohnMathis
ChesterMayfield,Jr.
RogerMcDougal
JoeWilliams
KeithWright
FRESH DEW
ALookatSettingthe“Standard” BySis.RickiFuller
This past Sunday, a young high school student was given the honor of presenting the commencement speech for his graduating class. His name is Kenny Morales, and he titled his message “Opening Pandora’s Box.”
The young man stated “… I hated school.” During his speech, Kenny pointed out the basic reason for his disdain which was the number of physical altercations that regularly occurred at the school. He, then, stated that “while each fight has its own story, they all stem from the same problem: and that is the culture at our school.”
Regarding the aforementioned culture, Kenny said: “We lie, we pretend and we hide the truth with selective facts on positive things occurring around the school, instead of being honest and addressing the issues head-on We attempt to fix the issue by pulling them like weeds instead of fixing the underlying issue.”
Now, of course, the school administrators and the school board members were quite disturbed by Kenny’s speech. They were especially displeased because he did not read from the speech he had earlier submitted to his administrators.
He told, “The graduates and guests the solution is raising expectations.” Morales said, “Sure, at first there will be resistance, but in the long term there will be leaders within the class that will emerge and set the standard we so desperately need.”
Imagine with me, momentarily, that you are either the Principal or the School Board President who had to hear such a powerful speech given by a graduating teenager who was clever enough to develop and present such a riveting and truthful speech. How would you respond? Would you want to applaud him, or wish you could strip him of his graduation privileges from school forever? The boy pointed out the truth about school culture including said culture within the adult-led administrations!
In a sense, Kenny’s speech exposed a need for addressing and changing cultures that exist in practically all arenas of the larger society in which we live. The administrators agreed with what he said, but they said the manner in which he did his speech was wrong.
Does that remind you of the Pharisees during the time Jesus was pointing out the same kind of need? Another important question is whether or not we are blindly guilty of slinking into negative customs? Do we go along with the status quo just to get along or to be accepted? And, if so, do we believe such pleases our Father GOD?
The Apostle Paul’s admonition in Romans 12:2 (NLT) guides us: “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”
May we all reverence GOD and serve one another with love and respect.
CELEBRATIONS
Birthdays
DorothyHolman------------------------
JoelBishop----------------------------
DockCulver----------------------------
IreneJackson-------------------------
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ArturoWatson-------------------------
QuentellaWilliams---------------------
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ShermanCarter-----------------------
BrianSummers------------------------
CaitlinLeggett-------------------------
BarbaraHockaday---------------------
FrankieHockaday----------------------
CandiceMayfield----------------------
DevonMosley-------------------------
JohnAlcox----------------------------
JynelleBeasley------------------------
JasperGorham------------------------
JamisonSpeed------------------------
QuentinGermain-----------------------
MaleikaTwitty-------------------------
