These days, a piece of paper that says you have achieved something is often more sought after than actual knowledge and achievement.
Just ask my teacher friends.
It’s not uncommon for parents to enroll their children in classes that are beyond their abilities just to keep up appearances. While it’s a good thing to push your child to succeed and to perform at his/her full potential, it’s not okay to expect advanced level work from a child that has yet to master the basics, and it’s not okay to blame the teacher when a child who has been dropped into the academic deep end goes under.
Likewise, it’s not okay to blame church leaders for your own spiritual stagnation.
“I’m not being fed.”
“I need to be challenged.”
“I want to go deeper.”
These statements sound eerily similar to parent emails requesting a more entertaining/challenging course of study for their “gifted” children who do nothing to contribute to the classroom environment to begin with, but spend their time distracting, impeding, asking irrelevant questions, whining, pretending to work, and nursing imaginary headaches.
While they might have potential, I struggle to call students like these gifted. Since when have the truly gifted required external motivation to learn and achieve?
And when did those of us who claim passionate devotion to Christ pass responsibility for our own spiritual growth off to someone else?
Understand, brothers and sisters, that when we stall out or struggle spiritually, it’s OUR fault, no one else’s.
God has given each of us the same Holy Spirit to help us understand the Truth found in His Word (1 John 2:27) and everything that we need to live a life of godliness (2 Peter). If we falter, it’s because we’ve yet to master the basics.
Surrender. Deny. Seek. Study. Learn. Pray. Love. Serve. Forgive.
Go back, friend. Study them again. Put them into practice when no one is looking, and I believe you’ll find the challenge that you are looking for.
I’ll save you a seat next to me.
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