Higher Education “SUCCESS”—an eye-catching word! Some have climbed the corporate ladder and have achieved great success in getting rich and making a name for themselves. Others have dreamed of success but have met with utter failure. To a large extent, success depends on what you make the focus of your life. Two other important factors are how you use your time and energy and whether you show initiative. AS Christians, we all possess valuable things of one kind or another. They might include a measure of health and strength, inborn mental abilities, or financial resources. Because we love God, we are happy to use those things in his service and thus respond to the inspired exhortation: “Honor God with your valuable things.”—Prov. 3:9. On the other hand, the Bible also speaks of valueless things and warns against wasting our resources in pursuit of them. In this regard, consider the words of Proverbs 12:11: “The one cultivating his ground will himself be satisfied with bread, but the one pursuing valueless things is in want of heart.” It is not difficult to see how that proverb applies in a literal sense. If a man spends his time and energy working hard to support his family, he stands a good chance of achieving relative security. (1 Tim. 5:8) If, however, he wastes his resources pursuing valueless things, he demonstrates “want of heart,” a lack of balanced judgment and good motivation. Very likely, such a man will find himself in need. What, though, if we apply the principle of the proverb to our worship? Then we see that a Christian who diligently and faithfully serves Jehovah God enjoys real security. He can be confident of God’s blessing now and has an unshakable hope for the future. (Matt. 6:33; 1 Tim. 4:10) However, a Christian who is distracted by valueless things puts his relationship with God and his prospects for everlasting life in danger. How can we avoid that? We have to discern the things in our lives that are “valueless” and cultivate a determination to reject them.—Read Titus 2:11, 12. Jesus warned against ‘seeking your own glory.’ (John 7:18) Whatever you decide as to how much secular education you will obtain, have you ‘made sure of the more important things’?—Phil. 1:9, 10. “The one pursuing valueless things is in want of heart.”—PROV. 12:11 . When Jesus is on earth how did he focus his way of life? When he is about 12 years of age his father and mother came looking for him and worried that he might get lost. (Luke 2: 41 thru 49) After three days they found him in the middle of the synagogue talking and asking question to the teacher of the synagogue and the teachers are amazed of how he knew so much. When Jesus was 29 years of age, he got baptized, he was tempted at Matthew chapter 4 and after that he lunches a full scale on preaching the Good News of the Kingdom, now the question is “where did Jesus get his education?” Did he seek the higher education to pursue a luxurious life? (John 8: 28 and 29) Young Rich Ruler During Jesus ministry he stumble to a young rich ruler (Matthew 19: 16-24) and asked Jesus “Teacher, what good must I do in order to get everlasting life?” and Jesus point out to him who is “Good” and answer his question with amazement because the eagerness of his heart...but when he told the young ruler to dispose his valueless things in life and follow him, the young ruler went away with a grim face! What lesson did you learn? What is the most valuable thing that Jesus emphasized? How do you feel about this? The disciples on hearing this, Jesus look each one of them on their face: Jesus said “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Then Peter said: “Look! We have left all things and followed you; what actually will there be for us?” Jesus said to them: ““Truly I say to YOU, in the re-creation, when the Son of man sits down upon his glorious throne, YOU who have followed me will also yourselves sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone that has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands for the sake of my name will receive many times more and will inherit everlasting life. “But many that are first will be last and the last first. “” Therefore, are you focusing on the valueless things in life of are you focus on God Kingdom and his righteousness? Matthew 6: 22-34; are you heeding Jesus counsel? Proverbs 25: 27 the eating of too much honey is not good; and for people to search out their own glory, is it glory? (See references: Proverbs 17:3; Psalms 26: 2; Jeremiah 17: 9, 10; 2Timothy 3:11)
Posted on: Thu, 18 Jul 2013 17:46:17 +0000
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