Being a Seventh-day Adventist school principal is an awesome opportunity and responsibility to serve God, change lives, and further the mission of the world church. Although many things are asked of school principals that can seem overwhelming at times, ultimately it is a position that can strengthen an individual’s personal walk with Christ while being professionally rewarding. Those who assume this role and responsibility are to be affirmed for their commitment and dedication to this ministry.

What Brings Me Joy in Being a Principal?

By Michael Wint

Principal— Beryl Wisdom Adventist School

Can one find joy amidst sunless morning rushes to duty, unpredictable days scattered with buried mines of frustration and unwelcomed surprises, and many unavoidable late hours to lay one's head to rest under the drape of night? Upon reflection, YES! A principal can experience joy despite the bruised tackles of budget restraints, the hand ties of personnel scarcity, and the foot shackles of very limited, outdated facilities and equipment. I find joy in energizing my engine every day. I choose three from my many reservoirs of joy that I draw from to share with you: greeting and teaching joys, provision joys, and eternal joys.

Greetings and teaching joys are fresh and abundant each morning as I greet and welcome each child to school. It builds creative fun to design a warm and unique greeting for each charming or not-so-happy personality of the day. Talk about thinking on your feet. That is how I developed my craft, quickly reading each mood and charmingly greeting my little ones. Also, I have the blessing of teaching, and walking in a classroom with a fun story to bring focus to the day's lesson has generated some of the funniest feedback on Earth. It is true that 'kids say the darnedest things.' At the end of the class, I am humbled and invigorated by the wisdom they display and the opportunity to connect with my students meaningfully. To greet and teach these kids positively touches their lives and brings me great joy.

My provision joys are drawn from the battles I fight on my kids' behalf. In the rearview mirror of my early life, I see visions of my father's unrelenting love and bravery spring into action to protect me from pillagers. I inherited that from him for my students. There are times when it is so tight financially that I wonder how we will get by. I pace the floors of the school's budget to find ways to make distant ends meet. The zip code where we are located often generates unkind hunger, yet I have seen doors open to fill an empty stomach and transform a frown into a smile. To witness the sacrificial giving from teachers, staff, and volunteers toward soothing the cry of hunger makes me bow in praise. Joyous provisions direct through the hands of His servants make me bow in praise and fill cups with joy, including mine.

My greatest of all joys is my collection of eternal joys. If you know my story, you know that I did everything possible to stay away from the school environment. One frustrating morning when nothing seemed to be going right, Noah, a fifth-grade student, completely misunderstood what I asked him to do and read the text Mark 9:36-37 aloud. There was a message in that text for silly frustrated me. ". . . . Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me . . ." Mark 9:37. It is a sacred duty to spend one's days gently touching the future of little ones. I have no biological kids of my own, but the awesome and holy privilege of modeling Christ's love to these kids fills my life with joy. Yes, I get teary-eyed at their graduation and even more to see them return to the campus to visit. These are my eternal joys.

I know I am not the sharpest pencil in the box, and I am riddled with faults, but as Pastor Sam always says, despite the faults, we serve a perfect God. Yes, there is joy in serving as a principal!