New Year: Education Goals

As we look this week at Education related goals, let’s start by looking at the opposite of education: ignorance.

Ignorance is defined as a lack of knowledge or information.

Paul, on multiple occasions throughout the Bible, says something to the effect of, “I do not want you to be unaware/uninformed” about mysteries of the Gospel, about spiritual gifts, about God’s works, about actions and events in his and his companions’ lives, etc…

There is a common saying in society, “ignorance is bliss,” which is a way of conveying the idea that if you don’t know about something you aren’t worried or anxious about it, and that it can be better to be ignorant and happy than informed and scared. 

There is definitely an aspect of truth to this saying, like there is in almost any saying, but it’s missing a whole bunch. Yes, if you are aware of something bad, it is going to upset you and cause you to, often, worry, which is not a great way to live your life. If you are unaware of the impending end of the world, death of a loved one, collapse of your source of comfort and security, your own death, etc… it allows you to continue to live with bliss or happiness, enjoying the moment and being hopeful for the future. However, this only works if there is absolutely nothing that you can do to change the outcome of what’s going to happen. In almost every situation, however, you have some power to change the outcome, and, in most cases, the less ignorant that you are the more power you will have. 

Just like God did not design you to be fat, lazy, weak and tired; and He did not design you to be stagnant and unmotivated; He did not design you to be ignorant, dumb, and uninformed. 

Now, before we move on, let me be clear. There is a near infinite amount of knowledge, and it is impossible for anyone to have all knowledge, aside from God. Similarly, you may be incredibly knowledgeable in a certain area, while someone else may be incredibly knowledgeable in a different area. The amount of knowledge that you possess does not, in any way, shape or form, equate to your worth or value. However, we should never be content with ignorance or make the mistake of believing that education, learning and knowledge is unimportant. 

The Bible is actually filled with learning and wisdom, so let’s look at a few instances of that.

First: there is a book in the Bible called “Proverbs.”

A proverb is “a simple, traditional saying that expresses a perceived truth based on common sense or experience”

The book of Proverbs contains around 900 proverbs, and was written by Solomon, who is considered to be the wisest man to have ever lived.

Proverbs 9:9-10 says,
“Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser;
    teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
    and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.”

Proverbs 3:13-15 says,
“Blessed is the one who finds wisdom,
    and the one who gets understanding,
for the gain from her is better than gain from silver
    and her profit better than gold.
She is more precious than jewels,
    and nothing you desire can compare with her.”

We see, just in these few verses, seven different words that relate to education, and we see that knowledge, wisdom and learning, are considered to be some of the most important things that a person can desire or obtain. There is more value in understanding than in gold or silver or jewels, and if you think about it this becomes clear.

It’s like the old saying, or proverb, “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” Material things have value, but that value wanes if used, where knowledge can help create value and it increases the more it is used. This is true in almost every area, whether it be studious knowledge in math and science, etc…, philosophical knowledge, practical knowledge like how to change a tire or fix a mini-fridge, literary knowledge, spiritual knowledge, etc… Regardless of the area, there is value in learning.

We further see this played out in the story of Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. You may better know them as Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Daniel is well known in the Bible for being thrown into a den of lions for refusing to only pray to the king, and Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were thrown into a furnace for refusing to worship the king. These four individuals were Jews who had been taken captive in Babylon, but because they showed certain promise in both physical ability and in learning, they were brought into the king’s court. 

In Daniel 1:17-20 we see “As for these four youths, God gave them learning [intelligence, knowledge, science]* and skill [intelligence, understanding, wisdom]* in all literature and wisdom [good sense, wit]*, and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. At the end of the time, when the king had commanded that they should be brought in, the chief of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. And the king spoke with them, and among all of them none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Therefore they stood before the king. And in every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters that were in all his kingdom.”

*Brackets are added, not in the Scripture.

We see two things here. First, education, knowledge in a wide array of topics is important and valued, and followers of God are supposed to be knowledgeable, to have wisdom. Second, knowledge, learning, understanding and wisdom flows from God. It is in their devotion to God that they obtained this knowledge. God gave it to them.

We looked at this verse last year when we were talking about loving God with all your mind, but, James 1:5 says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.”

So, to sum it up, you are meant to be a wise and knowledgeable person. No one person can have all the knowledge in the world, that’s God’s thing, but that’s not an excuse for refusing to learn. Knowledge is important and wisdom is valuable more than anything else, and both are given from God. Don’t shy away from learning, whether that be skills or facts, or doing well in school or learning about God. Ask questions, research, learn, and in so doing, grow and mature.

Remember: “Blessed is the one who finds wisdom, and the one who gets understanding”