The Point of Education

I’m done. 

I finished.

Not only did I complete the course, I got a reasonable score! So….I just accomplished the goal of the last 8 months of hard work. Right? I mean, the reason my parents bought the course was so I could get a good grade on it, right? As long as they are happy, I should be happy….. But something about that doesn’t seem right to me, and after I finished my chemistry honors course I began asking the question: why did I do that? What is the point of education? You see, I am what society has labelled “a junior” and I am about to be labelled as “a senior” but society is shocked by the fact I am 15 and also in my freshman year of college. Because to most people, that isn’t the way education is supposed to work. For most people, the goal of education is....more education. Society says that you finish elementary school to do well in middle school. The point of middle school is to succeed in high school. The goal of high school and the SAT is to get into a college. The point of college is to get a job. The point of getting a job is to support a family. And then you can enjoy life. That’s honestly the way many people look at education.

So education has been idolized. 

It has become the way we label people. If you’re in 4^th grade as a 12-year-old then something must be wrong with you, and if you’re in college at 15 you must be brilliant. The focus of our society seems to revolve around education. But what if you could skip all those steps? Would education still have a point if I could enjoy life without it? From my perspective: maybe. It all depends on why you are learning. As a Christian, I know that I exist to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. So however I use my time should be aimed at accomplishing that goal. If education helps me to glorify Him, then I should absolutely be educated. If studying chemistry helps me to enjoy God’s creation, then it is worth my time. For a Christian, education isn’t about the grade or the job that you get at the end. It’s about learning about our God. So if you get a 40% on one of the chemistry quizzes, you shouldn’t be afraid to tell your parents. There shouldn’t be intense pressure before a final exam, because it’s just about learning for the sake of glorifying God. If you are in education for that reasons than education always has a point. But for a society that doesn’t believe in God, education is pointless. If the focus is simply to get a good grade, then you’re doing it for the wrong reasons. And if you move through classes just to get to the next one, then education has become an idol.

 So why are you in education? What are the future steps you plan to take? If you are a Christian and feel like you can get a job and glorify God without any further education, then you should do so. If you are continuing your education, then please keep in mind why you are doing it. It’s not for that piece of paper you’ll get handed at the end of the year. It’s not for a degree, or a GPA, or to be labeled as “brilliant” If you ever find yourself or someone you know idolizing education, then remember that our primary goal is to honor God and enjoy Him forever. I have completed much of my education, and I still have some learning left to do. I have decided that graduating college is the best way for me to use my time, not just because I will be able to say I have done it, but because I hope to learn more about God and His creation through it. You have a purpose on this earth. God put you here for a reason. Is education helping you to fulfill your purpose? If so, keep at it. But if not, then maybe you should reconsider the direction you're headed. Ultimately, everything should be done for the glory of God, that is the point of education.