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Learning for What?
By Shiao Chong, Christian Reformed Campus Minister
& Director of Leadership, Culture &
Christianity
Serving at York University, Toronto
www.logoscrc.ca |
chaplain@logoscrc.ca
Have you ever asked yourself the question, “Why
am I here?” No, I don’t mean the big existential or philosophical question of
“why are you hear on earth”. Rather, I mean, “why are you here in university?”
Why are you here in university? To study and learn? Okay, but for what? What are
you learning for? For a degree? To what end? Why do you want a degree? To get a
job? To get ahead in life? To be famous? To get rich?
Okay, sorry for the barrage of questions. But don’t you ask yourself these
questions at all?
Let me offer you what I believe is one Biblical vision of learning. I say “one”
because other Christians can probably find and argue from the Bible other
visions for learning. But here is my take.
What is learning for? Why should a Christian pursue higher education?
Firstly, we learn in order to explore, understand and celebrate knowledge
about God’s creation, his norms for living, and, indirectly through these, to
know more about God himself. Understanding God’s norms for creation and life is
probably what was meant by the Old Testament concept of wisdom. “By wisdom,”
according to Proverbs, “the LORD laid the earth’s foundations, by understanding
he set the heavens in place; by his knowledge the deeps were divided, and the
clouds let drop the dew” (Proverbs 3:19-20). To understand the normative ways of
creation and human life is to gain insights into how God deals with creation and
us. Believing and trusting in the Creator is, thus, a prerequisite to
understanding creational norms: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of
wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding” (Proverbs 9:10).
Such faithful learning is inherently worthwhile, irrespective of what happens
after graduation. Learning is not simply a means to an end. It is a worthwhile
end in itself. Studying History, Literature, Arts, Social Sciences, and the
Natural Sciences are all meaningful and worthwhile, regardless of their career
prospects, as each field explores different areas of God’s creation and human
life.
Secondly, we learn in order to develop our God-given gifts, with an eye
towards future service to God and neighbor. Human learning, like any human
activity, can be directed toward either God or an idol. If your learning is not
directed to God, is not in service to Christ’s lordship, then an idol
inadvertently controls your learning. What are your motives for going to
university? Are you, like the world, looking out for yourself? Are you trying to
develop your gifts from God or are you trying to learn the most marketable
skills available? Or do you have more noble goals for furthering your gifts,
knowledge and skills? Are you choosing your major motivated by where jobs are
highest paid or by a sense of where your gifts will best serve God and neighbor?
To sum these two insights: Learning is for wisdom and for service.. We learn to
gain wisdom—not simply smarts, not simply skills, not simply knowledge—but
wisdom. Knowledge and skills tell us “how” to do something but wisdom tells us
“why” and “what” we should do.
We learn in order to serve—not to serve our own interests, not to better
ourselves—but to serve God by serving God’s world and the people who live in his
world. Our innate talents and gifts are given to us not simply to make us happy
but to make the world a better place, and thus, further God’s glory.
So, what are you learning for?
Copyright © Shiao C. Chong 2006
This article can be copied and distributed freely provided its content has not
been changed. This resource cannot be sold or distributed for financial gain. It
must be free. And it must be unedited. Otherwise, the author reserves all rights
to the resource.
This article was published in The Epistle
(September 2006).
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