On the day you were born, our society began pushing knowledge and education on you:
Knowledge is Power.
Readers are Leaders.
Teach a Man to Fish …
But to whom does that apply? Does everyone need education? Yes. Everyone needs an education appropriate to the culture in which they will live. A Tibetan proverb says, “A child without an education is like a bird without wings.” That is at least as true in our nation as in Tibet. Similarly, Mortimer Adler said, “The purpose of learning is growth, and our minds, unlike our bodies, can continue growing as we continue living.”
John Dewey said it more succinctly: “Education is life.”
My own educational years were fraught with difficulty. I was always in trouble at school—and then suddenly I would produce some great project that shocked everyone. The entire odyssey was a rollercoaster of highs and lows that defined my life until I finished law school. Add to that a year of substitute teaching, seven years teaching high school (before law school), ten years (and counting) teaching college, and I can’t help but have passionate opinions about education. I even wrote a book about it.[1] It is no surprise that I am drawn to this verse from Hosea:
“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee” Hosea 4:6.
This is one of those general statements that can be used to promote almost anything. You might use it as a proof text to encourage readers to go to college, or read more books, or read the daily paper, or read more about taking vaccines, or not taking vaccines, or taking classes online, or reading outside your own echo chamber (that is, read the work of those with whom you disagree).
But this passage refers to a specific kind of education. God says his people are ruined because the priests are not teaching them how to follow God’s law. They are like Christians who do not know how to walk with God.
It is possible to give all the years of your life to Christ, but neglect to give him all of the days.
You may surrender your heart for eternity. But have you surrendered all your choices for today?
I know you want to go to heaven when you die. But do you want to obey the Lord during the next hour?
What if he asks you to read the Bible for a few minutes? Or to pray? To spend time with him? Do you know how to do that, or are you “destroyed for lack of knowledge”?
There are skills to spending time with God. They are not difficult, but they do require a bit of education.
Read the Bible. Read the easiest parts first.* Skip anything you find painfully dull or confusing. Just skip it! You can always read it later.
Use a devotional book to help you see how the scripture applies to your life today.
When you find short passages that are life-changing, write them down so you can memorize the verses, and begin to PRAY God’s word.
Learn to use his words in your prayers.
When you talk to God, consider five keys to prayer: 1) Confess sins, 2) Praise God—tell him about his attributes (and it’s okay to incorporate music into your praise and worship!), 3) Thank him for all that he has done, 4) Intercede for the needs of others, and 5) Petition God for things that you want and need. (Write down these five steps and begin to keep a written prayer list so you can experience the joy of seeing your prayers answered.)
Finally, learn how to SHARE the word of God with others. There are specific tools that can be a tremendous help when people cross your path. Educate yourself about how to share your faith, and the many tools that can make it so much easier.
“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge” Hosea 4:6.
God, teach us. Educate us so that we can be effective disciples of Christ. Fill us with a love for your word. May we come to it with excitement, looking forward to the adventure and excited about what we will learn. Teach us to be your disciples, to Read the word, Apply the word, Memorize the word, Pray the word, and Share the word with others.
AΩ
[1] https://www.amazon.com/How-Make-As-Journey-Professor/dp/B0CFZC2KJ9?ref_=ast_author_dp
*For many people, reading the easiest parts first might look something like this: Genesis, Exodus, the four gospels, Acts, Proverbs, then the epistles (letters) of the New Testament.
Household Words: 