A few days ago, I was pestering my 8-year-old to get her homework done. With the advent of being a 3rd grader this year, I told her she needs to take school more seriously. She won’t be receiving the “O” for outstanding, “S” for satisfactory, or “N” for needs improvement. She’ll be receiving true letter grades, A’s B’s C’s.
After telling her for the third or fourth time she needed to work on her spelling so she’d get a good grade on the test, she turned to me and said, “Who cares about good grades?” I had to double-check that she wasn’t one of my teenagers.
As parents, aunts or uncles, or teachers, we drill the concept of good grades into the heads of the children around us. The word “education” can be aloof and intimidating, which might be a reason there are so many alternate forms of education today, such as homeschooling, online classes, charter schools and private schools that offer varied learning avenues.
Even though I’ve essentially turned my back on my degree in Fashion Merchandising, and instead now write books and articles, immersing myself in education throughout my childhood and on up, has provided many blessings. Blessings in the form of experience, knowledge, perspective, new interests, tolerance, compatibility, and dozens more.
In church a few weeks ago, a ward member shared her testimony of how grateful she was that her husband’s life was literally saved by a doctor. She said she was eternally grateful that the man who saved her husband’s life didn’t squander his intelligence. He used his mind, talents, and efforts in order to enter into the business of saving lives and become an expert in the medical field. Because he chose to study and work the long hours to train as a doctor, countless lives have been blessed.
Not all of our chosen paths of education will lead to life-saving skills. But each of our righteous pursuits will lead to blessings, both in our own lives, and in those who we come in contact with.
An author friend of mine, Josi Kilpack, and I have presented workshops together on literacy. She points out that literacy has taught her to try new things and expand her experiences. She raises chickens, and she learned all about chicken farming from reading books. I doubt I’ll ever be interested in chicken farming, but for Josi, it’s something that she loves to do and she was able to educate herself through reading and learning about the process.
Whether or not we have a college degree, or are just relieved we graduated from high school, education never has to stop. Our “intelligence” has incredible potential, and we can always learn new things and enrich our lives.
A single spelling test in 3rd grade might not matter much compared to the larger picture of life, but every day we face small stepping stones that lead to the next step. Yes, it can be difficult to see beyond the challenges of a single day and press toward a larger goal.
I’ve learned that in order to complete a manuscript amid the busyness of family life, work, and church duties, I need to push ahead little by little each day. Even if it only amounts to ten or thirty minutes of writing a day, investing the time on a regular basis will eventually lead to a significant result.
In the broader scheme of things we can look at developing our intelligence on both a spiritual and temporal level. We know that all things temporal are spiritual, so when taken in that context, seeking knowledge and education become part of our divine missions. Even a doctor in the medical field continues to learn and hone his expertise. No matter what stage of life we are in or what our education “level” is, we have much to learn.
Regardless of awards or degrees, we are all equal in the Lord’s sight and must traverse our own windy paths of spiritual growth and maturity. In a sense, we’ll all receive “grades” in life, to be determined by many factors and a good dose of mercy by a loving Savior.
My 8-year-old needed a bit more mercy when she stubbornly put off her homework. By sitting down with her, she was pacified and completed it with her mom at her side. Equally so, we may look to our Savior when we are in need of support or have those Why questions brimming. He becomes the supreme example to us all of one who never squandered his intelligence.
Heather B. Moore is the author of Christ’s Gifts to Women as well as several award-winning historical novels, including: Daughters of Jared. Visit her website: www.hbmoore.com
