Greetings all parents and caregivers,

We’re halfway through the term and I have no idea where the time has gone. All the staff are excited for tomorrow’s Reverse Day, and we’ve been eagerly discussing each other’s costumes and outfits. We cannot wait to see what creative ideas the students have come up with as they dress up as teachers and staff members for the day.

This week in Year 3, we’ve been looking at fear and linking it with the story of Moses. In Numbers chapter 21 you’ll find a recount of the children of Israel out wandering the wilderness and running into a snake problem. Now I don’t know about you, but as someone who is scared of snakes, I couldn’t think of anything worse than to be plagued by them. As the snakes were running rampant biting and killing everyone, Moses prayed for the people and God responded telling Moses to cast a snake out of bronze and place up high on a pole. And anyone that looks at the snake on a pole would be healed from the venomous snakes.

Moses did what was asked and sure enough, the children of Israel stopped perishing form the venomous bites. Now God had the power to handle this situation in any number of ways. He could have made all the snakes slither away and leave them alone. But He chose to make an image of the very thing they were scared of, and it was only when the people looked at it and faced their most pressing fear, that they were healed.

God wont always take away the things that are scary in this world. But He’ll always stand by us when we face our fears and give us the courage to be brave. This may have been one of the earliest recordings of exposure therapy we have. Studies show that when we are exposed to our fears and choose to face them head on, we don’t become less scared of the fear, we become braver in general. This is an important distinction. God can help us become braver, enhancing our character, instead of making the scary thing disappear.

So next time you’re scared (because yes, even adults get scared sometimes) maybe ask God for a little bravery, a little courage. And stand up to your fears instead of asking God to take them away.

God Bless!

Toby Ackland