Frequently Asked, and Other Questions
Education
Q. I have a friend who in my opinion interprets the Bible wrongfully. I'm not religious though, but I respect the Bible and God.
This friend of mine does not take school importantly (he is 15 yrs.old) and seriously. He thinks that interacting with people who do not believe in God or do not follow God's will is a "bad influence" Therefore, he thinks that going to school is actually a bad influence because of the people he interacts with. Also, he thinks that life is for preaching God's words,but he does not realize that going to school is as important as preaching God's words, and therefore, he's not trying in school. I think that what he says are excuses for being lazy , etc. etc. and he really has a deeper problem or crisis within him. How can I help this friend? And how can I make him realize that he needs to take school more seriously?
Response:
Your friend is blessed (or "lucky") to have a friend who cares about him enough to try to help him. A friend who will argue for truth, even at the risk of alienation is of more value than one who only tells you what you want to hear.
Sometimes the truth hurts and we regret that, but . . .
"Open rebuke is better than secret love. Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful." (Pro. 27:5-6).Since your friend feels that God and his Word is the most important aspects in his life, you can approach the subject from that point.
You wrote:
"I have a friend who in my opinion interprets the Bible wrongfully. I'm not religious though, but I respect the Bible and God.
This friend of mine does not take school importantly (he is 15 yrs.old) and seriously."Response:
Mandatory public education (as in public schools) is said to have originated from Ezra's instituting the system of scribes (copyists of the Biblical law) around 536-456 BC. (Although educators who favor evolution may attribute it to Greece or Rome.) Ezra was prominent in the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the restoration of worship there after the Babylonian captivity of Judah. He ruled as "governor" and is the author of the book "Ezra". Nehemiah was a contemporary and also ruled Jerusalem after Ezra. Some say that the books of Ezra and Nehemiah were, at one time, combined and the accounts overlap to some extent.
The books of Moses (the "Bible" at that time) had been lost sometime before or during the captivity. When they were found, Ezra called for a public meeting and had the "law" of God (the books of Moses--Gen., Ex., Lev., Num., Deu.) read aloud. This is explained in Neh. 8:1-8. In verses 7-8 we see others were on the platform to translate the Hebrew texts into Aramaic (the international language like English is today) since many of the Jews had been born in Babylon and did not speak Hebrew. These translators and copyists became instructors and attendance at the reading of the law was required. Hence the concept of mandatory public education began.These are the kind of details one can learn in school. One can also learn it by independent study, but it takes initiative, hard work, dedication, perseverance, self-discipline, sacrifice (of time and money) and the help of God to find the resources and to understand the truth among all the conflicting accounts and personal opinions. It definitely takes a lot of time and work.
You wrote:
"He thinks that interacting with people who does not believe in God or does not follow God's will is a "bad influence" Therefore, he thinks that going to school is actually a bad influence because of the people he interacts with".Response:
Public schools, for the most part, stink. There is a lot of "bad influence" there. They are dangerous places to be. But so is the mall, the park, city streets, small towns, highways, and anywhere else people can be found. Being a Christian does not mean escaping or hiding from the "world".
Christ, in his last prayer before his crucifixion, prayed, "I pray not that you (God) should take them out of the world, but that you should keep (protect) them from the evil." (John 17:15).
A true Christian is not one who avoids places like public schools with a blanket condemnation that they are "evil". That's what the Pharisees did. One reason they condemned Christ was because he didn't avoid all "sinners".
The apostle Paul taught the Romans (those who lived in a world capital of paganism and decadence), "Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good." (Rom.12:21). (Elsewhere he explains that our primary job is to set a right example as "lights", rather than just to talk about religion.) How can you be a "light", if no one can see you?
"You are the light of the world . . . Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel. . . .
. . . Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven." (Mat. 5:14-16).
"Good works" involves a lot more than "preaching". They are listed in Gal. 5:22-23, Col. 3:12-23 and Eph. 5:9. The world is full of preachers, but there is a severe shortage of "good works".An alternative to public schools is "home schooling". It offers many advantages over public school and is growing in popularity as the quality and safety in public schools continues to decline. Our son began asking us to home school him even before he was a teenager and it worked out well for all of us. It requires that at least one parent be home full time and be willing and able to supervise study. Both parents will usually be involved and it requires that the whole family sacrifice time from other activities. It can be very rewarding and profitable for the whole family. It requires initiative on the part of the student. There is a lot of information about home schooling on the internet now.
The majority of scripture deals with people who did not believe in God or who refused to "follow God's will". To think otherwise would seen to indicate that one has not read the Bible or doesn't understand what is being said. Christ and the faithful disciples spent most of their time with people who were not "following God's will".
"And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples.
And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why does your Master eat with publicans and sinners?
But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, . . . . . .
. . . I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." (Mat. 9:10-13).You wrote:
"Also, he thinks that life is for preaching God's words,"Response:
Perhaps he should read the book of Proverbs which deals with knowledge, understanding and wisdom and the effects of either possessing or avoiding them.
Just a few comments from the book:
"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction." (Pro. 1:7).
"Take fast (firm) hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is your life." (Pro. 4:13).In the context of making foolish choices in life:
"Lest strangers be filled with your wealth; and your labor be in the house of a stranger;
And you mourn at the last, when your flesh and your body are consumed, (are old and weak)
And say, How have I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof;
And have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor inclined my ear to them that instructed me!" (Pro. 5:10-13).You wrote:
"but he does not realize that going to school is as important as preaching God's words, and therefore, he's not trying in school."
Response:Much of what is taught in school has to do with God's creation. The sciences are studies of what God has created: plants, animals, humans, ecosystems, the universe. They deal with how God created everything and how it works: chemistry, math, physics, health sciences, geology, meteorology, oceanography.
History, social studies, and political sciences show man's behavior and the results of man's attempts at self rule, apart from God and his laws.
You just have to overlook or work around the evolution theories of the textbook authors and of some teachers.Hopefully, he's not using school time to "preach" to fellow students, otherwise he may find himself ridiculed and alone.
You wrote:
"I think that what he says are excuses for being lazy , etc. etc. and he really has a deeper problem or crisis within him. How can I help this friend? And how can I make him realize that he needs to take school more seriously?"
Response:You can tactfully, carefully, and gently, explain your concern and your opinions. But people usually don't appreciate unasked-for opinions, especially if they are critical. If you wish to remain friends, you may have to accept his refusal to change. That doesn't mean you have to approve of his choices, just that beyond some point, or within some limits, you leave the subject alone.
You can approach a school counselor, without naming names, and discuss the subject "in general". Sometimes school counselors can help a lot, sometimes they are useless. If you name your friend, and it gets back to him, that could end your friendship.
You cannot "make him" do anything or understand anything. You can only try to lead or direct him to the right choices. You can set a right example. You can show that you are a true friend by accepting him even if you totally and completely disagree with his ideas, opinions or choices. Of course, his present choices as you describe them, will probably mean you will be spending less time together and will have different interests.
Thank you for caring about your friend. Your concern is a reflection of the love which Christ said we should have for one another.