Neighbor Groups: Elevate Education预览

Bigger Than a Classroom 

When you think about education, what immediately comes to mind? Many of us might think of school, college degrees, or graduating from a program. Maybe you picture a school you attended as a kid. 

All of us will have different experiences with education because no two people have the exact same set of circumstances. So let’s consider that for a second. 

Often, where you grew up determined what kind of school you’d attend or what opportunities were available to you. In fact, research shows that the quality of education decreases dramatically in areas with fewer resources. 

Fewer teachers, little to no technology, and a smaller budget means that students in less affluent communities often have larger classes, fall behind, and experience environments that distract from the learning experience. 

After all, it’s difficult to pay attention when you’re trying to stay warm, worrying about what you’ll be able to put together for dinner, or stressing out about whether anyone will be available to help you with homework.

But here’s the thing: Despite all of this, education is much bigger than a classroom. And it’s also not something that makes anyone more valuable in the Kingdom of God.

In fact, we see throughout Scripture that God seems to do some of His best work through people society would label as uneducated—like the disciples. 

So why should we, as followers of Christ, care about education? Does it even matter to God? 

As a loving Father, God values anything that benefits His kids. So He values education because He loves people, and education can lead to a better life and more opportunities to serve others. 

Even though the disciples were labeled as uneducated, they had valuable skills they used to support themselves. We see in Matthew that some of the first disciples Jesus called were fishermen. 

At the time, the fishing industry was booming. This occupation was their source of income. And yet, when Jesus called them, offering to teach them about the Kingdom of God, Scripture tells us:

At once they left their nets and followed him. Matthew 4:20 NIV

Going forward, these men impacted the world by helping spread the gospel. Both kinds of  skills—fishing and sharing their faith—were important. In fact, the word “disciple” means student. By following Jesus, they got a spiritual education they otherwise would have had no access to. 

This same truth applies to us. God has empowered each of us to use our talents, gifts, and education to serve others while sharing our faith. And when we bring our skills to God, He is faithful to multiply our resources for His glory.

Take a second to think about what learning opportunities you’ve been given—business insight, math skills, cooking, coding, etc. How could God be calling you to share your skills with others? 

Over the next few days, we’ll discover what the Bible says about education and how we can use our experiences with it to honor Him. 

Pray: God, thank You for giving me opportunities to learn and grow throughout my life. Help me recognize any skills or knowledge I have that can be used to serve others. In Jesus’ name, amen. 

Challenge: Spend some time thinking about how education has improved your life. How can you use that experience to serve others?