A Culture of Honor at SCS

One of the central values that drive us as we seek to improve our school is the establishment of an Honor-based school culture. This concept is built on the New Testament mandate to “honor one another above yourselves,” which is found in Romans 12:10. Paul’s words here, which built on Christ’s command to love one another, are a radical departure from the Old Testament understanding of honor.

In numerous passages in the Old Testament, the word honor is used in the context of paying proper respect to both God and earthly authorities. The idea of treating one another (our equals, or those “below” us) with the same deference and respect we would for, say, a king or president was nothing short of revolutionary.

We are so strongly drawn to this value not only because of it’s biblical basis, but because of how strikingly absent it is in our culture today and because of how powerfully it meets a need that all of us as humans have—the need to be valued by others. True honor is not based on another’s performance, but on the reality that they have been made in the image of God. This has profound implications for every human relationship and interaction.

So what does honor look like? You’ve likely heard me talk about the three facets of honor… treating others as special, doing more than what’s expected, and doing these with a good attitude. These short phrases are helping all of us at SCS stay focused on the pursuit of an honor-based culture, and I would ask that you would consider how they could impact your own culture there in your home. And remember, these are not simply mandates for our kids to follow; they are for us as parents as well, as we interact with each other and our children.

Would you join us this year as we recommit to pursuing the creation of a culture of honor at Smithtown Christian School? Just imagine the impact on our students’ lives if at every turn, they see true biblical honor being demonstrated before them! And just as we’re asking you to commit to such a lifestyle, we too at SCS commit to treating both you and your children with honor. From every interaction with us, you can expect that we will treat you and your children as special and valuable, we will seek to go above and beyond what is expected, and we will have a loving and godly attitude.