An encouragement as we enter finals week

In the opening chapter of Proverbs, Wisdom makes an announcement in the streets:

“How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple? How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing and fools hate knowledge?”

Here we are reminded that the path of wisdom and knowledge is not the easy one. Proverbs consistently portrays the easy path as the way of the fool, one who listens to every passing temptation. The wise, however, are those who seek after knowledge. Proverbs goes on to encourage us:

“If you call out for insight
and raise your voice for understanding…
then you will understand the fear of the Lord
and find the knowledge of God.”

Wisdom is there to be found, but she is found through pursuit.

Why share this?

“Part of the formation we are giving our children comes through facing something difficult and persevering through it.”

Because finals are hard. High School and Middle school are hard. And there may be some complaining in your home this week. I understand that. We don’t make finals difficult because we value hardship for its own sake; it’s because growing in knowledge is always hard. Part of the formation we are giving our children comes through facing something difficult and persevering through it. Sometimes as parents we (myself included) have the temptation to remove hardships from our children that are meant to be there to train them. The worst thing that can happen to them in finals week is that they get a bad grade, and that also is an opportunity to grow. If you think back on your own life, it is the hardships you had to endure that grew you. This is true for your children as well. 

So this is an encouragement to you, parents: do not grow weary as you watch your children struggle through learning. See it instead as the beautiful pursuit of wisdom, a pursuit we pray becomes a lifelong one for them. And we trust that the pursuit of true knowledge always leads us toward Christ. Praying for your families, and for your children, as they enter this testing season.