It seems almost ironic to me that while so many are celebrating many long years of academic achievements as they graduate from their respective schools and are now filled with so much knowledge, that my Bible study guide would take me to 1 Corinthians 8 today. The first three verses of this chapter convicted me and have remained on my mind all day.
"Knowledge makes arrogant, but love edifies." (1 Corinthians 8:1b)
Schools exist to impart knowledge. We hope that when that knowledge is received through the lens of God's word, students will also gain wisdom.
Acquiring knowledge was a big priority for me as a student. I know through personal experience how much hard work, discipline, sacrifice, and endurance it takes to reach lofty academic goals, to obtain a full academic scholarship at a high ranked engineering school, and to graduate at the top of your class. We should celebrate students' outstanding academic achievements. So, I in no way want to take away from the credit due to all the amazing students who have achieved so much, especially in an environment that is exceedingly more competitive than I ever knew as a student.
Thankfully, the Lord held me close throughout my high school and college years, but I deeply regret all the times I made my own academic goals a higher priority than extending the love of God to my neighbors and classmates. In His grace, the Lord opened many doors for ministry during that time, but I surely missed far more opportunities because I was too busy studying. I don't know if my peers will remember me more for my grades, my love, or my lack thereof, but I know for a fact that God is much more concerned with how I have loved Him and others than He is about my transcript.
While we send our kids to school to gain knowledge, we chose a private Christian school with the hope that the knowledge would be rooted in God's truth and love. We are much more concerned with how well our kids love God and others than with their academic achievements. We desire that they give their best in all their academic and athletic pursuits for the glory of God (not their own glory), but love for God and His people must be the higher priority.
37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself." (Matthew 2:37-39)
No matter where our students attend school, it's nearly impossible to avoid all the stressful striving that so characterizes our affluent, high achieving culture. This constant pressure to perform makes students feel more like a number or a circus animal who must jump through ridiculous hoops and over higher and higher bars to find acceptance and self-worth. Even at the best Christian schools, students are often pressured so much that they believe they must ace their AP exams, win state titles in their respective sports, and gain admittance into an Ivy League school to be "good enough". When decisions that dramatically and directly impact students are made without giving them any input, students assume that since their opinions don't matter to the decision makers, then they must not matter either. Some are regularly being told that their past achievements are no longer good enough. Such pressures and out of reach expectations can easily tempt students to despair. The isolation of this shutdown only further dehumanizes their educational experiences.
Are we as Christian parents, role models, teachers, coaches, administrators, and/or influencers helping students put this pursuit of knowledge into the proper perspective by prioritizing God's truth and love? Are we teaching students by word and deed that their value is not based on what they do or achieve but rather on what Christ did and achieved for us on the cross? Are we pointing them to God's word for true wisdom and understanding? Do they know they are infinitely valuable because they were made in God's image and because Christ paid the ultimate price out of His infinite love for each of them? Have we helped plant seeds of faith deep into the soil of their hearts? Are we faithfully watering and nurturing that faith with truth, encouragement, and love?
Are we celebrating the fruit of God's love in them as much as we celebrate their academic or athletic achievements? For example, if we are going to boast about one student's scholarships or impressive college acceptances, are we also celebrating with full enthusiasm the student who decides to take a gap year so as to take the Gospel and the LOVE of God to the world through global missions? Only God's love compels students to do radical things, which often require laying down their own goals and plans for themselves, for His glory. Let's celebrate that and let students know how much their love for God and others matters to us and to God!
"Thus says the Lord: 'Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.'” (Jeremiah 9:23-24)
