As I write this, my students are taking their final exam. Though it will only affect a few of them career-wise, they seem to take it quite seriously; maybe too seriously.
They want to do well, and several of them quizzed me quite closely the last few days on the content of the exam. I am glad to see their desire to learn; I have more ambivalence about their desire to do well on the test. I want to tell them, “It’s the learning that is the important part. Your score on the exam will affect your life very little. Relax.” But I cannot. I don’t want to play the hypocrite.
You see, I too seem to be more concerned about the visible success of my life and ministry, rather than focusing on just learning the things God wants to teach me.
I saw a cartoon once where a man stepped to the microphone before a speech, and spoke into it, “testing, testing”. A fellow in the audience muttered, “that seems to be the metaphor for my life”.
But really, I don’t think so. The metaphor for life is learning. Learning to live a life of love in the fullest sense. Learning to become the person God created us to be. And the outward signs that you “got it” pale to the glory of truly “getting it”.
Will there be a test? Yes, but not in this world’s terms. And I have a feeling God would like to speak my own words back to me some times: “It’s the learning that is the important part…relax”.
"You see, I too seem to spend more concern about the visible success of my life and ministry, rather than focusing on just learning the things God wants to teach me."
ReplyDeleteDear The Dan,
Based on an analysis of your comments, your optical allusion to your life is causing you to see your efforts in a most comic nature. Perhaps by framing your actions within the confines of your limited space, you are limiting your potential and thus drawing out the time in which you are stuck in such thinking.
Not sure what all that means, but I fixed the post, so thanks
ReplyDelete