We are enjoying another great week in the Midlands.  Many of our students and teachers are now back to school.   Even our  college  students  are  getting  everything  ready  to  begin  another semester.  Our families  are  adjusting  to  new  schedules  which include, earlier-to-bed-earlier-to-rise, traffic to and from school in addition to the usual morning rush-hour, after school activities, and homework. It takes organization, patience, and cooperation to get everything flowing smoothly.  That’s the way it is!    Everyone can say “Amen”  to that statement.   Then I mention personal responsibility.  “Oh, Brother Mickey, you mean -- ME?  Are you saying that I have to get organized?  Are you saying that I have to be patient  with  my parents,  with my children,  with my  brothers and sisters, with other drivers, with school officials?   Are you saying that  I have to do my part  at home,  at school,  wherever  to help make things better?  I thought you were talking about other people being more organized, more patient, and more cooperative!” Let’s make it our aim to be more like Jesus in our thinking, in our speech, and in our conduct.  The apostle, Paul, wrote to his son in the faith, Timothy, the following instructions:  “…be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity” (1 Timothy 4:12).   He told him to “give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine” (v. 13). I do understand that Paul’s instruction to Timothy is toward “believers;” however, the same can be said of our example toward those who have not yet believed and obeyed our Lord. Every day we have opportunities to show Christ living in us.  At school our peers may use words that are not part of a Christian’s vocabulary.  We must be an example for Christ by speaking words that are true, pure, courteous, and Christ-like.  When our friends “act up” in class, in the hallway, on the field, in the gym,  or wherever,  may we show others by our conduct that we are different.   When others speak words of  hate to those  who are “different,”  we must dedicate ourselves to show Christ  living in us by speaking words of love.  May we, as Christians, have a different attitude; positive, accepting, ready to help, eager to learn.   There will be times when we will be tested.  Our faith in God might be challenged by a fellow student or even a teacher. We might be tempted to participate in an activity that will rob us of our purity.  Remember Paul’s  admonition  to  Timothy in verse 16:   “Take heed to yourself  and to  the  doctrine  (teachings of Christ).  Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.” Here the Holy Spirit promises salvation to those who live the Christian life and to those who hear.  The other  side of this promise is also true.  Our friends will “hear” as we show by word and example the good news of salvation in Christ. Today we will begin a new series of lessons as we travel back to the beginning of creation when Adam and Eve were in the garden and did something so very terrible.  In the cool of the day as God came near, Adam and Eve hid among the trees.  God asked four questions.  We will focus our attention on the first of these questions on Sunday:  “Where are you?” (Genesis 3:9).