Scenerio:
Teaching a fourth grade Social Studies class, with a quick review of the test answers.
Test answers were to be corrected independently for homework.
Student: "Can you just give me the answers to write down, so I can hand in these corrections next class?"
Teacher (me): " No, it's your assignment. I can't just give you the answers and count it as corrections. What would you learn from that? You need to search for your own answers."
Student: "sighhhhhh..."
What I feel the Lord showed me during that lesson was as Christians, we must search for truth, just as that student must search for his answers to the test. As children(or young believers, no matter the biological age) the Word/truth may be given to us, but as we face the tests of life we must call upon that truth ourselves in order to be in line with God's will and make it through. We need to search for the truth and make them our own, we need to hide them in our hearts.
Yes, learning from a pastor or spiritual leader is important, just as a teacher instructs her students while introducing new information. The student must study independently along the way. When it comes to the test, its up to the student to perform, proving that he or she in fact learned enough to pass successfully.
Just as that student missed some answers to his Social Studies test, Christians will get the tests of life wrong from time to time (we will, and we do). Just as that student had to go back and make test corrections, we must go back, search the Truth, and re-learn what it is God says about that particular test of life. We must continue to search, and learn God's Word. Otherwise, if we ever feel we are no longer a student of the Word, we will fail. We will be missing the humility it takes to depend on God and draw upon Him for truth and guidance.
