The kids went back to school today. What a bitter-sweet occasion that is! Bitter for them, that Summer is over; sweet for their parents--for the same reason!
What the first day of school reminded me is that we all need to be willing, and actively seeking, to learn continually. Summer is a great time to have fun, relax, take vacations, and allow the insidious creeping of intellectual and spiritual laziness worm its way into our lives. The first day of school is a great day to take stock and see if we have allowed that to happen.
What have you done this Summer to further your knowledge of God? Have you read any good books, attended a conference, participated in a Bible Study or Small Group, or read the Bible on a regular basis? What have you done to grow closer to God, to serve Him, to be served by Him? Having trouble answering that question? You're not alone.
It is hard to continually grow. It takes time, it takes resources, it takes effort. And let's face it--most of us do not have an excess of any of those. It is so easy to just slide by, enjoy the Summer (or Fall, Winter, Spring), and coast along. I know enough to get by, right? I mean, I've invested my time, learned what I need to know; I'm doing good enough, right?
Wrong.
We can always be better. We can be better at home, at work, with our families, our friends, our God. The access we have to incredible tools available to help us grow leaves us no excuse to become stagnant. Whether we are talking about our Christian faith, our parenting, our marriages, other relationships, our work--whatever--we all have potential to be better. One avenue to improve ourselves is through learning. Back in the Dark Ages when I was young, there was a short Saturday morning cartoon with the catch-phrase Knowledge is Power. Remember that? Well, it's true.
Knowledge is power. That is one idea which both the world and the Bible agree upon. One difference is that the world knows this, and many times tries to keep knowledge from us (or feed us false knowledge), while God knows that His knowledge builds us up, and offers it freely to us. Much like salvation through His Son Jesus Christ, God's knowledge and wisdom is a free gift to us, delivered to us through His Word. Why would we turn that down?
So, have you taken the Summer off? Have you neglected God's Word and your ongoing growth in Him? If so, today is the first day of school. What better day to get back in the swing of things.
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