Ayumi preparing for a sermon
At one of the meal times during our church retreat last weekend I was asked if I had any aspirations for my little, 20-month old daughter. The person asking was about to see his first child, sadly, go away to a fine college. Downplaying the question, I told the person who asked, “I just want her to get through elementary school.”
I think the temptation I have as a dad is to push my child academically and plan her life around the pursuit of a great education. Don’t get me wrong, education is not a bad thing. In fact, in the U.S., we should be profoundly grateful to God that we have free education available to us. But education can also become an idol.
I was struck by a Henri Nouwen quote from a book I am reading. Nouwen writes: “Beneath all the great accomplishments of our time there is a deep current of despair. While efficiency and control are the great aspirations of our society, the loneliness, isolation, lack of friendship and intimacy, broken relationships, boredom, feelings of emptiness and depression, and a deep sense of uselessness fill the hearts of millions of people in our success-oriented world.”
The above quote is not a result of a great focus on education, but rather, a replacing of a Jesus-filled life with great self-accomplishments and selfish aspirations. We can fill our lives with medals, trophies and salary markers, but what kind of life would we have if the despair Nouwen talks about still exists in spite of the accomplishments? To what or whom do we then turn?
I hope that my daughter grows up to know, love and serve Christ faithfully.
Thanks for reading (I know, a little “preachy”).
Joe
