Education is a religion that dominates the globe. Civilized societies have always believed and promoted a good education. We believe it can erase poverty. We even believe it can remove more existential flaws like hate and fear. To some degree that can be true. Learning skills and information allow a person to be self-sufficient. Learning about other cultures usually enlightens the student to see that people actually aren’t that different at all. Learning that a bear might be more afraid of you than you are of it, can give you a little more security in such a confrontation.

Learning how the universe works is definitely a blessing from God as we study His creation and live in it. But ultimately an education that doesn’t also study the Creator does not ultimately eradicate underlying evils or tragic flaws. We are still dying. We are still fighting. We are still poor. We are still afraid. We still hate.

Yet God has spoken, and we should listen like students before the greatest of teachers. Because God’s words do deal with the central enemies of humanity. God’s words tell us, as Jesus describes, that the external problems we face often come from within every human heart. And no technology, philosophy, or political movement can overcome that. They all eventually seem to fail, some quicker than others. Yet God’s words also teach us about God’s heart. God is love. From Genesis to Revelation, God shows us that He forgives and gives life. Ultimately God’s word ends up on the place where the worst of humankind meets the best of the Divine; Jesus receives all our flaws, and nails them, and buries them forever. 

God’s words give life. You are forgiven. Repent and believe the Good News! God actually loves even you. God’s words give physical and eternal life. Christ is risen and freely gives the power that causes a flower to bloom after a long winter to you!

While we spend so much money on education and encourage our children to work hard to learn, let’s do the same with God’s words. For everything else we learn will eventually fail us, but the knowledge we gain from God will sustain us even through the grave. This fall, become a student of God, through church services, Sunday school, youth, etc. It’s pretty clear we need to cling to His words more than ever!