Our world is a myriad of information. Access to anything and everything. The ability to have what we NEED then see worthless amounts of things around us and create lists of lists of things we WANT. I went into a couple local bookshops with a friend yesterday; a pastime that is becoming more like going antiquing nowadays. One shop had a section of old science books, from before I was born. Being a scientist myself I couldn't help but stop and think about the implications of the information era. Not just the internet mind you, it also made me think about education. Our access to education is incredible. The ease of getting into college and getting some type of degree is really staggering. Imagine as a woman, 50-60 years ago (probably even less than that), if I were trying to pursue science. It wouldn't be something that I just closed my eyes and picked. I would have to want it bad enough to battle with high standards of excellence, social faux pas, and other things I can't begin to say I know anything about. You know something? I don't think I would've thought for a second, yea, that's what I want to do. Now, you can get into a college, scrape by without learning too terribly much, and graduate with a degree in science before you can blink. Part of me wishes it wasn't like that. I'm not saying we should return to the days of women not being accepted into the science realm, no, I am not even trying to approach femenism here. I am just talking about education and information and how I think it would be beneficial for our society to place more value and take more seriously "higher" education. Then, I thought, what if that's not really the issue I care about here?
For years I have looked around me and seen college kids struggling. Sometimes they want to be in school but can't afford it. Sometimes they don't want to be there, but their parents are paying for it and they "have no choice." Sometimes they don't really care, but it's what society tells them is the next step and dang straight if they aren't going to have a good time and "explore" their humanity while they're at it. I see young adults grasping at truth and settling for social acceptance. I see a broken world. You see, as much as I wanted it to be about our society "nowadays," it is not. Going back in time is definitely not the answer, but social reform isn't either. I was thinking about these things while struggling with my own crisis of where to be and what to be doing with life even after having completed an undergraduate degree. Struggling with my own social norms and expectations. I wanted to blame something, so I decided to be philosophical and blame society for corralling me into a situation which I did not request. That was simplifying the issue in a complicated way. It always comes back to the heart of man (The heart is decietful.... Jer 17:9). Our world is a mess. It's true. Society is just a symptom though. We want desperately to be successful and accomplished and rich and powerful and in control. The more we grasp at these things the more farther removed we are from being fulfilled (Matt 10:39). What our culture needs, what my friends need, what I need...is Jesus. The one we want to put on trial, the one we want to get rid of, the one we want to crucify every single day. He makes us uncomfortable; He makes us not fit in; He makes us give up things we like. He fulfills us. And guess what, the trials, the beatings, the scorn...Jesus can take it...in fact, He already did (John 19:1-16). Not for Himself, but for you and me. So ask Him, get angry at Him, be confused, be afraid. But trust Him and truly desire to understand and you will. He will show you in His time (Isaiah 55:8).
And if you are a Christian, realize with me today that the issues we face, they are often not what they appear. The heart of the issue is almost always about Jesus. Evolution, popularity, stem cell research, money, abortion, success. We must think about them on a different level because we are not playing on the field we see in front of us. We must pray for each other as we stand on trial with Jesus every day. Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. 1 John 4:4
