"A School That Has No Graduates"

 

“A School That Has No Graduates”

 

During my lifetime I’ve had seven graduations: elementary school, junior high school, high school, college, seminary, basic Clinical Pastoral Education and resident CPE. All were recognitions that my classmates and I had completed certain standards to prepare us for our next steps in our life’s journeys. Each brought a certain level of accomplishment but also presented new opportunities for growth and influence.

But there’s one “educational institution” which has no graduates because its requirements are never completed: “The School of Hard Knocks”. The phrase first appeared in 1870 in The Men Who Advertise in which George P. Rowell contrasted life’s experiences with formal education, showing how painful circumstances can prepare people for facing life’s challenges through what some have called “The University of Life”. Since life brings struggles of many kinds (remember Jesus said, “In this world you will have trouble.”—John 16:33) we never complete the curriculum of dealing with adversities thus we never graduate.

A psalmist, likely King David, expressed the value of life’s misfortunes. He was well acquainted with them as we see from his ordeals surrounding Saul, Bathsheba and Absalom. But he saw their benefits as he stated, “Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I obey your word…It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees.” (Psalm 119:67,71). Our difficult times are intended to drive us back to God and His Word to provide needed resources (“His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.”—2 Peter 1:3, emphasis added). His prophet also assures us, “…I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11). This truth worked for me during a devastating period in my life and assured me that God hadn’t abandoned me but was getting me ready for “…great and unsearchable things….” (Jeremiah 33:3) in the years to come.

I haven’t graduated from “The School of Hard Knocks” and never will because there’s always more to learn. In the words of Eliphaz to Job, “Blessed is the (one) whom God corrects; so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.” (Job 5:17). Is this pleasant? No! Is it valuable? Most Assuredly yes! So let’s benefit from our ongoing education at the feet of our Father in Heaven.

 

Grace and Blessings!

Jim McMillan