I’ll admit it. I wasn’t a great student, especially in middle school and high school. Honestly, for a while, I didn’t see the point. I just wanted to work and do my own thing.
Something changed. It clicked in college that learning and growing are part of my spiritual growth. Do you remember what Jesus said about our minds?
An expert in the law stepped up and asked Jesus, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” That’s a pretty good question. I’m not sure what this guy expected Jesus to say, but I’m pretty sure he wasn’t expecting
Jesus response:
He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” – Luke 10:27
Jesus says that an essential part of loving God is with our minds. What that means is when you begin to really think about honoring God with your mind, education take on a whole new significance. It becomes valuable. It becomes important. If for no other reason, because Jesus said so.
So how do you do it? I’m by no means an expert at this, but I have committed to grow in this area. Here are a few tips I’d give.
Loving God with Your Mind
1. Commit to being a life-long learner.
I know you know a lot, but recognize that you don’t know it all. Always keep learning. Always keep growing. When you do this, you can do this in a way that God get’s the credit. God gets the glory. Never quit learning.
Create a rhythm in your schedule that allows you to consume helpful content. The two biggest ways I do this is by listening to audiobooks & podcasts.
The first step for you may just be to determine that you’ll be all-in in your current coursework. As John C. Maxwell says, “Leaders are readers, and readers are leaders.”
We never stop learning while we’re still living.
2. Live out your faith with intentionality.
The classroom and the campus are the perfect places to live out your faith. Some get tripped up thinking it doesn’t matter what they say or do in class or on the campus. This just isn’t true.
You are always in the spotlight, and you are always on a platform. People are always watching. Authentically live out your faith and be ready to share your faith intelligently.
Small things done well can make a big difference.
You are always in the spotlight, and you are always on a platform. Click To Tweet3. Build your credibility.
Education is a great platform for building your credibility. In many ways, you’re in a season of preparation. When Jesus taught, people noticed that he taught with authority. Why? Jesus had two undeniable qualities: competence and character.
Competence means that you know your stuff. Character means that you live it out. Use this season to focus on both and your credibility will increase.
4. Challenge yourself and work with excellence.
Here’s what the wisest man that has ever lived said:
“Do you see a man who excels in his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before unknown men.” ~ King Solomon (Proverbs 22:29)
Be a person that consistently performs with excellence. Excellence is the missing ingredient that makes an average person an exceptional person. When you live out excellence, you grow in influence and separate yourself from the crowd.
Excellence is the missing ingredient that makes an average person an exceptional person. Click To TweetCommit to living a life of consistency and continual improvement.
“Excellence is the gradual result of always striving to be better.” – Basketball coach Pat Riley
What do you think? What would you add to this list? Shoot me a note, I’d love to hear what you think.
THE 140:
When you begin to think about honoring God with your mind, education take on a whole new significance. Click To Tweet
This devotional is one in Sugar Hill Church’s First 30 devotional series for college students. To access the entire series & podcasts be sure to check SHC’s site each day, as new ones are added daily. (Because we know you are busy, just click here & save as bookmark.)
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