By Bobby Scott, Headmaster

Whether as a part of numerous poetry recitals or repeated practice in classrooms, the words of John 15 have resonated through the halls of Perimeter School throughout the year. On Wednesday of this week, I will have the privilege to lead a final look at God’s design for our lives at the final chapel gathering. Though it takes a lot of planning to try and reach the range of ages, it is a joy for me to be a part of this campus-wide worship.

In the fall chapel, we focused on our relationship to our Father, our total dependence on Him to produce fruit in us by the power of his Word, and the pain of his pruning. My focus in this chapel will remain in John 15, yet I will move past verse 8 to examine what it means to abide in His love. 

What It Means To Be Chosen

I am convinced that the increasing anxiety and insecurity among even covenant children begins right there: in a failure to grasp the height and depth of what it means that He chose us early. God “so loved” His lost children that Jesus obeyed to the point of death and hell.

Being chosen is a big deal. Just this week I was reminded of that by the NFL draft and the Perimeter School class reunion of 2014. In the first, players are given a chance to become a part of something they have dreamed about their entire lives. The earlier their names are called, the higher their chance of lifetime financial security.

The class of 2014 proudly wore the university garb of the school that had chosen them for admission, beginning four significant years of personal responsibility to choose wisely. 

Both ventures require some hard work and a measure of preparation to be worthy of being chosen. And both result in big celebrations… until the first day of practice and class begins. Then the forthcoming years will prove if the choice was valid or a “bad pick.” 

Chosen In Spite Of, Not Because Of

Our students need to know and remember that being chosen by Jesus before the world existed is far different from these choices. We were chosen though we had never played a game or applied for membership. Plus, our profile and transcript were marked as a failure from day one. But oh, the love and mercy of the Vine toward His branches!

At our school, the students have Christian teachers, friends, Bibles, devotions, chapels, and Christ-infused events, but they can still fail to grasp how much they are loved and can take for granted the life-transformation of the words “you did not choose Me, but I chose you.”

Please pray for the Spirit to move among them... for them to choose to return to abide in His love quickly when they wander, as we are all prone to do. As our school vision says, students will "know they are loved." Even parents will fail at times, but nothing can separate our students from the love of Christ. And in knowing this, may they bear fruit gladly and glorify His choice.