Got Education?

James 1:5 says "If any of you lack wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you."  As an adult I grew to love this scripture.  I can recall as a child my after school childcare provider Mrs. Pauline Knox.  At that time, I was about 6 years old and Mrs. Knox was well into her 70's.  Mrs. Know lived down the street from my family and would watch me from after school until about 5:30 when my mother got off work.  She did this for a couple years and once my grandparents retired, I decided to hang out with them in the afternoons.  Besides making a killer lemon pound cake, Mrs. Know was a retired school teacher and preacher.  She was the first to tell me the story of Jesus and Nicodemus from John's gospel, she confirmed what I had learned from the catechism in school and Youth Baptist Training Union and Sunday School.  In many ways, she was like a third grandmother to me.

One thing that Mrs. Knox told me that always stuck with me was: "Learn everything that you can, because what you have in your head, man can't take away from you.  They can take your things, but they can't take your mind."  She said this often.  As a six-year-old child it sounded good, but as an adult that has gone through college, and little bit of graduate school and now a teacher myself, I know it to be true.  I am at a point where I realize that intellect is truly a gift from God.  The ability to reason, think, analyze and problem solve should not be taken for granted.  I am also thankful for the people that have poured and deposited their knowledge and intellect into me.  There are some that still continue to do so.  Learning is a lifelong process, and I believe that it is something that does not stop when one attains membership into the AARP, or professionally retires. 

My Mama always says: "There's nothing worse than an educated fool."  Talk about an oxymoron.  I'm sure that we've crossed paths with a few of them from time to time.  The challenge for today is to embrace your intellect.  Celebrate your knowledge and continue to expand your knowledge base in areas which may be new to you.  Don't stop learning, because learning never ends.  "For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.  He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk in integrity."  Proverbs 2: 6 & 7

Peace,
Karsten