Math (Not) Facts

  In my working with High school and Jr. High kids, I can’t count the number of times I have heard them complain about math classes. Their complaint is always, “When am I ever going to use this stuff?” My answer has never been to try telling them they will (From my own experience, since High school I never come across a situation where I need to solve a quadratic equation), but rather to tell them that learning math, and the logical reasoning behind it is an essential part of learning. Simply, math helps you learn to think. Many mathematical principles are good ideas in any situation. The only exception I have in this argument is in multiplying negatives. Math tells us that a negative multiplied by a negative will give a positive result. In math that works but in life it doesn’t. 

  Some people try to overcome negative things in their life by doing negative things back. For example; someone said hurtful things about me, so I will say something even more hurtful about them, and I will be justified.  That doesn't happen. More wrong being done will never bring about good from those that do wrong. (See 1 Corinthians 6 for the answer to that).  The secret to overcoming evil that is done to us is given in Romans 12:19-21; “Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, "VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY," says the Lord. "BUT IF YOUR ENEMY IS HUNGRY, FEED HIM, AND IF HE IS THIRSTY, GIVE HIM A DRINK; FOR IN SO DOING YOU WILL HEAP BURNING COALS ON HIS HEAD. "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”