April 3, 1991
Do senior citizens have any valid reasons for attending college? Being with younger students might help someone feel young again, but many campuses would wonder at cane-carrying folks wandering down their halls. After all, why take classes after life-patterns are thoroughly set? And who is going to hire a person of retirement-age-plus even if they have learned a new skill?
Nevertheless, a white-haired, 89 year-old woman signed up for a class this semester at Bible College. She is studying the New Testament book of Acts and has not told me her motivation. (Acts is the historical account of the early church and how its members were scattered throughout the known world to announce the good news about the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.) She is a spunky lady. Maybe she has a mission field in mind!
Seriously, even the professors agree it is never foolish to pursue further spiritual education. Notice, I said “spiritual” education. For one thing, after many years of ups and downs in our walk with God, we older students are far more aware of the rationality behind learning and relearning His truth. We not only know how important it is to apply to our lives, but we are fully aware of how application becomes increasingly challenging with age.
At least one of the Old Testament kings started poorly and ended well but many of them did the opposite, starting well and finishing very badly. The biographies of these kings illustrate how vital it is for God’s people to keep on growing. Productive middle years do not have to end at retirement age. The greatest of God’s saints ministered to others until it was physically impossible or until death stopped them.
Also, from an older perspective, the goals for learning change. When I was young, I was interested in absorbing data, regurgitating it in a form that pleased the teacher, and passing exams... in one ear and out the other. That kind of learning does not produce excellence. It does not work with spiritual information either. It is even possible to know a great deal about God and His Word and still live in sin. The goal must be internalizing the material with a view to obedience and a vibrant spiritual life.
Secondly, it would have been nice to have been taught from my mother’s knee so I understand more than I do about Christian living. Yet even being brought up in a Christian home doesn’t guarantee a solid Christian life. I’m learning the difference is not in the timing of the education nor in when one starts to learn, but in the desire to use it to God’s glory.
My 89-year old friend doesn’t need to go back to work to use what she is learning. I rather suspect she is aiming for a more Christlike life because it pleases God, not for any other reason. She also realizes if she does not press on, it is so easy to slide backwards.
Besides having a responsibility to keep on growing in the Lord, older Christians have an obligation to pass on what they have learned. The psalmist said, “O God, You have taught me from my youth; and to this day I declare Your wondrous works. Now also when I am old and grey-headed, O God, do not forsake me, until I declare Your strength to this generation, Your power to everyone who is to come.”
No one at Bible school laughs at us older students. Some are teased about carrying brief cases instead of back packs, but the younger Christians already understand that the grace of God is needed to make it to the grey-haired stage and still have a strong desire to keep on learning about Jesus. They also understand that not everyone finishes well. Here, any example of grace is never considered “too old” but welcomed as “fresh hope.”
Showing posts with label education. Show all posts
Showing posts with label education. Show all posts
Friday, April 17, 2015
Friday, December 19, 2014
Heads up for Parents ................. Parables 211
(April 4, 1990)
The question offered to families used to be “It’s 11 p.m... do you know where your children are?” Someone discovered it was often more appropriate to ask, “It’s 11 p.m... do you know where your parents are?” After reading about some recent “sex communication” seminars, a better question might be: “Parents, do you know who is teaching your children?”
These seminars were conducted in Alberta by... well, no one seems to want to admit who is responsible. According to a couple of people who attended, the promotional material didn’t reveal enough to keep them from signing up; but after they got there, they found themselves getting an “education” they didn’t anticipate or want.
Apparently a desensitizing process was the method of enlightenment used, involving a series of films that started out “innocently” enough but went to the other extreme by the end of the seminar. These films displayed sexual behavior. One person interpreted that the intention seemed to be to numb their minds gradually, so after three days, not one viewer would be shocked or offended by ANY kind of sexual BEHAVIOR, normal or otherwise. This person also said most of the people would have walked out on the third day’s films had they been shown them in the beginning. As it was, only a handful of people refused to watch any of them.
This deceptive instructional method was used in the name of education. The organizers were “not available for comment.” Most of those who were subjected to these films haven’t said much either. However, the impact may come out where we’d least like to see it... the seminars were offered to those responsible for the sex education of our children.
Anyone intrigued by the “sex communication” title could take some advice from the wisdom of Solomon: “A simple man believes anything, but a prudent man gives thought to his steps...” A suspicious mind, especially these days, could be a healthy mind. Taking a harder look before signing on the dotted line might make the difference between prudently “seeing danger and taking refuge” or continuing on “and suffering for it.” (Proverbs 22:3)
Aside from that, the unwillingness by the organizers to even admit who they are, plus the deceptive techniques used, illustrate a Biblical principle regarding people who do not know God. They prefer a cover-up.
Jesus talked about such “cover-ups” after giving the familiar promise of John 3:16 (eternal life for those who believe in the Son of God). He went on to say those who do not believe in Him were “condemned already” because of their unbelief and refusal to come to Him. Why didn’t they come? “...because men love darkness rather than light, because their deeds are evil. Every one that does evil hates the light, and will not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.”
Jesus warned about false teachers who look good on the outside by appearing “in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.” Putting on the guise, “this is education” does not make a wolf into a lamb.
Colossians 2:8 also warns, “See that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy...” Christ is right up front with every thing He does and He instructs godly people to never use deceit of any kind. To do so reveals there is something wrong with either us or the message we have.
Probably the average reader is not going to be attending one of those sex seminars anyway. However, the people who did soon will be passing on the values (or lack of them) picked up from such “education”, to the heads and hearts of the average reader’s children. Obviously, as parents, we should be in the light about what is going on in the dark!
Besides that, if we are Christians, we need to be out there, shining as much light as possible. Those who refuse to come to the light at least will want to get away from where it is -- meaning they will have to peddle their sinful philosophies somewhere else.
The question offered to families used to be “It’s 11 p.m... do you know where your children are?” Someone discovered it was often more appropriate to ask, “It’s 11 p.m... do you know where your parents are?” After reading about some recent “sex communication” seminars, a better question might be: “Parents, do you know who is teaching your children?”
These seminars were conducted in Alberta by... well, no one seems to want to admit who is responsible. According to a couple of people who attended, the promotional material didn’t reveal enough to keep them from signing up; but after they got there, they found themselves getting an “education” they didn’t anticipate or want.
Apparently a desensitizing process was the method of enlightenment used, involving a series of films that started out “innocently” enough but went to the other extreme by the end of the seminar. These films displayed sexual behavior. One person interpreted that the intention seemed to be to numb their minds gradually, so after three days, not one viewer would be shocked or offended by ANY kind of sexual BEHAVIOR, normal or otherwise. This person also said most of the people would have walked out on the third day’s films had they been shown them in the beginning. As it was, only a handful of people refused to watch any of them.
This deceptive instructional method was used in the name of education. The organizers were “not available for comment.” Most of those who were subjected to these films haven’t said much either. However, the impact may come out where we’d least like to see it... the seminars were offered to those responsible for the sex education of our children.
Anyone intrigued by the “sex communication” title could take some advice from the wisdom of Solomon: “A simple man believes anything, but a prudent man gives thought to his steps...” A suspicious mind, especially these days, could be a healthy mind. Taking a harder look before signing on the dotted line might make the difference between prudently “seeing danger and taking refuge” or continuing on “and suffering for it.” (Proverbs 22:3)
Aside from that, the unwillingness by the organizers to even admit who they are, plus the deceptive techniques used, illustrate a Biblical principle regarding people who do not know God. They prefer a cover-up.
Jesus talked about such “cover-ups” after giving the familiar promise of John 3:16 (eternal life for those who believe in the Son of God). He went on to say those who do not believe in Him were “condemned already” because of their unbelief and refusal to come to Him. Why didn’t they come? “...because men love darkness rather than light, because their deeds are evil. Every one that does evil hates the light, and will not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.”
Jesus warned about false teachers who look good on the outside by appearing “in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.” Putting on the guise, “this is education” does not make a wolf into a lamb.
Colossians 2:8 also warns, “See that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy...” Christ is right up front with every thing He does and He instructs godly people to never use deceit of any kind. To do so reveals there is something wrong with either us or the message we have.
Probably the average reader is not going to be attending one of those sex seminars anyway. However, the people who did soon will be passing on the values (or lack of them) picked up from such “education”, to the heads and hearts of the average reader’s children. Obviously, as parents, we should be in the light about what is going on in the dark!
Besides that, if we are Christians, we need to be out there, shining as much light as possible. Those who refuse to come to the light at least will want to get away from where it is -- meaning they will have to peddle their sinful philosophies somewhere else.
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