Education has the power to change everything.

Education has the power to change everything.

This column is to present a distinctive and comprehensive body of knowledge focusing on the relationships between the concepts and correlation of Love and Truth, in education in the light of the Holy Scripture. In essence all the religions of the world, while they may differ in other respects, united in declaration that nothing lives in this world but Love and Truth. Academic excellence is an allocation of education consists of Information or knowledge, understanding, or comprehension, wisdom or application, which includes values, principles, aptitude, attitude and altitude, all together constitutes holistic education. Innovative and stimulating work, thought-provoking debate around the analysis, construction, deployment, discourses, research and theory are some of the work exploring forms of presentation and representation in educational practice.

Everything begins with our right and correct concept of education. What happens if we choose to create a better life and better world but we are born into an adverse situation where you don’t have the privilege to gain a higher level of education?  What does it mean to unleash the power of education in an adverse circumstance? It all begins with what we expect from education. Education goes beyond schooling and it is rooted in the family. Education empowers people and it is the true wealth of the community. Education is hope for the future and destiny. We can shape our destiny with the Winding Spring Process of Education. This fulfills our humanity by refining our human nature. Life is a process of living, loving, and learning and finally leaving a legacy. Education is a vital part of the process for the individual aspiration for a comprehensive and meaningful- life. Therefore real education transforms the human heart and the transformed heart transforms the family, community and the world.

Some People are fortunate to acquire best education by the virtue of their circumstances. But others in adverse situation known as underprivileged but if we understand the education correctly every situation we have and the wealth of experience we encounter itself is unique form of education. Sometimes we wonder why some people are powerful, dominate and wealthy and others are poor and oppressed? Why are some people well off and others drown in poverty? How does some people seem to get all the breaks and others can get a fair shake? We ask ourselves these questions? If we study closely then we realize the truth and true value of education. If we can wake up and rise up from our situation or pick up a book and read and ask question and learn all that we can about life’s principles, laws, dogma and standards, then we can change our circumstances. By Nature we are lazy and will do anything to avoid stretching our minds for searching, studying and analyzing. If it’s not easily available on our reach or on TV or on computer we avoid it. Most people want knowledge spoon-fed to them and will not take steps to work for the information that can change their lives.

Maybe it began in family or school. Having to read “boring” textbooks and listen to a teacher drone on and on about a topic that you will never have to see again in real life may be the culprit. Or maybe it’s the easy access to stuff, mobile phone, iPod; I phone, television and internet where entertainment is more fun than searching, seeking and scrutiny. Unfortunately this mindset leaves the individual woefully unprepared for life, and left behind when it comes to good fortune. Instead of getting deployed or starting a great business, life is spent slaving away as a grocery store clerk or fast food worker as an employ. Jealousy and bitterness sets in against those who have while they have-not. It seems that the haves get all the breaks but that is the case for a very small percentage of people. The rest of the haves get where they are because they take the time to study, search, read, and do hard work to create their ideal life.

Education does not mean you have to go back to school, colleges and suffer through theory classes, it simply means be proactive and innovative, do your best, pick up a book and read. It means you take a course that interest you and will help you advance. It means that you become curious about the world and stop waiting for someone to hand it to you. It means be a learner and a student, at all times.

Everyone has the opportunity to be educated &succeed in life. We may not always get a degree or certificate for our labor, but we get something far more valuable with bright future and hope. The more we gain knowledge the more powerful we are to change our world. There is no excuse for not being the best. With our education, determination, and ambition we can reach our goals. True education will help us that Instead of being a person who whines and complains about what we don’t have, we begin to explore a way to get a better life, build a strong family, and establish a refine community and Brand Nation. “The greatness of a nation and its education progress can be judged by the behavior and life style of its people.” Now is the time to change our life, regain the power we have given away because we are waiting for someone else to fix things for us, and get what we know we deserve. So what are you waiting for? Mahatma Gandhi rightly said “Be the change you want to see in the world.”

I recall a humorous tale about a young boy who approached his father and asked, “Dad, why does the wind blow?” to which the father responded, "I don't know, son." "Dad, where do the clouds come from?" "I'm not sure, son." "Dad, what makes a rainbow?" "No idea, son." "Dad, do you mind me asking you all these questions." Not at all sons, if you don’t ask question, how else are you going to learn?” The father was honest to admit his ignorance but encouraged his son to keep asking question. But a parent with education is a legacy for their children. "Research shows that children of educated parents are healthier, perform better academically, and are more likely to attend higher studies themselves than children of those with lower educational background.

You cannot give someone what you don’t have yourselves and you can’t teach someone what you don’t know yourselves. Sincerity is the foundation of our humanity. Sincere inquiry leads to successful investigation. Successful investigation adds value to our knowledge. New knowledge tests our reasoning and improves our minds. We must anticipate education leading to a better society and a better world. Self-transformation leads to world transformation. As Socrates rightly said, “Virtue is knowledge.” Learning is the beginning of action. Action is the completion of learning. Education shapes your world view. Your world view shapes education. Education is the key to the Good Life. This is the power of education.  Education must be rooted in the right soil. For the kids it can be a good home. For the grown up children it can be noble teachers and fine institutions .For the mature it can be a sincere heart to grasp everything they come across daily life. Edward Everett said "Education is a better safeguard of liberty than a standing army." "Education makes people easy to lead, but difficult to drive; easy to govern, but impossible to enslave. An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest."."Education is a companion which no misfortune can depress, no crime can destroy, no enemy can alienate, no despotism can enslave.

Scriptural Insight

Bible is the prominent, predominant and preeminent classic manual and constitution for our life and Education. One of the marvels of the Holy Bible is that it uses language that communicates with people of the most primitive and limited understanding, while at the same time it still has significance, and inexhaustible meaning, to the most scholarly and intellectual of men. It addresses itself with equal simplicity to all classes of mankind. No other book that I know of has that distinction.

For example Bible begins with one of the most profound statements ever made in the hearing of men. “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1) It gathers up in ten English words (seven in Hebrew) the answers to the four fundamental questions which every person faces when he really begins to think seriously about his life and the universe in which he lives. This verse also begins with the greatest observable fact known to man: the existence of the universe, the heavens and the earth, (Genesis 1:1); and it links to that the greatest fact made known by revelation: the existence of a God who creates. There is thus brought together in this simple verse at the beginning of the Bible the recognition of the two great sources of human Education: Nature, which is discoverable by the five senses of our physical life; and Revelation, which is discoverable only by a mind and heart illuminated and taught by the Spirit of God. These things "are spiritually discerned," says the Apostle Paul (1 Corinthians 2:14).

Both of these sources of knowledge are from God, and each of them is a means of knowing something about God. The scientist who studies nature is searching ultimately for God. One great Christian Scientist declared, "I am thinking the thoughts of God after him." That is an excellent way to describe what science basically is doing. Also, those who seek to understand the Bible, to grasp its great themes and to understand the depths that are revealed there, are likewise in search of God. Nature is designed to teach us certain facts about God, but revelation is designed to lead us to the God about whom nature speaks. Thus the two are complementary.  They are not contradictory in any sense, but complete one another.

The Bible completely avoids the utter ridiculousness of some of the early myths about creation and origin, found in other religions. In this creation account there is nothing that needs to be laid aside as man's knowledge increases. Later, the Bible takes these two words, the heavens and the earth, and expands both, disclosing a remarkable knowledge of nature which anticipates by many, many centuries the discoveries of modern science. That is another proof that this book is not of man. It comes through man, but from God.

It was the Bible that first said that the number of the stars is beyond computation. It declares that God "stretched forth the heavens" (Isaiah 51:13) into limitless expanse which can never be measured, and filled it with stars which are as numerous as the sands upon the seashore, (Genesis 22:17). Yet to a primitive observer looking into the heavens, the visible stars are not uncountable. They are a vast number but they do not seem impossible to count. But the Bible flatly states that the number of the stars can be compared, literally, to the number of the grains of sand upon the seashore. Modern science has now established this to be true. Man cannot possibly begin to assess the number of the stars.

It was also the Bible that said the earth is hung upon nothing (Job 26:7). In that poetic way it describes the mysterious force of gravity which no one even yet understands but which keeps the earth suspended in its relationship to the sun and the other planets. The earth literally hangs upon nothing. It was the Bible that said that "things which are seen are made of things which do not appear," thus predating by many centuries the discoveries of modern science which finally recognized that all matter is made up of invisible energy, and that matter and energy are interchangeable.

The supreme concern within God's heart in giving us the Bible has been, through the centuries that we might understand what goes on in the human spirit, affecting everything we do. He has deliberately made the physical to correspond to the spiritual in such a way as to illustrate to us what is going on within.

Dr. F. A. Filby, said “The material world is designed to produce parallels -- parables -- of the spiritual. There is indeed a spiritual law operating in the natural world, and God put us on a planet where light is separated from darkness for our spiritual education as well as for our physical needs. There is a spiritual, as well as a physical reason, for the pattern of creation and he who divorces science from true religion will never be able to come to a real understanding of the world.”

A wisest and richest king ever lived-in History, said in Proverbs 23:12 “Apply your heart to discipline (Education) and your ears to words of knowledge.” In another words Listen to instruction and do your best to learn. Why Education is Vital? Because, proverbs 24:3 he said “by wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established and by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches”. In the same Book he also affirmed in (25:2) “It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, But the glory of kings is to search out a matter.” And “For the Lord gives skillful and godly Wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding”. (Proverbs 2:6)

One of the keys to success in life is a persistent and continual pursuit of knowledge for self- development. Passion for knowledge will drives everyone to extend and expose to new initiatives and create a new environment. The desire to keep growing in knowledge, understating, wisdom, Truth, Love, Faith and moral values &principles will inspire us to stretch beyond our fears and self-imposed boundaries. Hence education and relationships are essential in real, lasting, life-changing experience and authentic life. The Bible speaks about another word for, "education” the words, "truth" and "love." How truth and love relate to each other?  Paul said the goal of education is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith 1Timothy 1:5. Education is not the goal, love is. Education is the means. It is subordinate. Truth serves love. Education serves relationships - mainly the relationship between us and God, but also between believers and believers, and between us and nonbelievers. The "purpose" of all education is to know the truth and love.

“And let us consider and give attentive, continuous care to watching over one another, studying how we may stir up to love and helpful deeds and noble activities, " (Hebrews 10:24). The aim of our "considering one another" is that we stir up love. The truth of doctrine and truth of people-watching unite to aim at love. Love aims at truth."Love does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth" (1 Corinthians 13:6). Love is glad when truth is spoken. Therefore love aims at truth. It supports truth.

Paul wrote "Out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you with many tears; not so that you would be made sorrowful, but that you might know the love which I have especially for you" (2 Corinthians 2:4). Here is an example of how love aims at truth. Paul is filled with love and it compels him to write a letter that was hard, and caused sorrow in him and in the Corinthians. But it needed to be said. So love said it. Love speaks the truth personally and doctrinally. Love shapes how to speak the truth.

"Speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ" (Ephesians 4:15). There is an unloving way to speak the truth. That kind of truth-speaking we should repudiate. But there is a way to speak the truth in love, and that we should seek.  It is about what is the most helpful thing to say when everything is considered. Sometimes what would have been a hard word to one group is a needed act of love to another group, and not a wrong to the group addressed. But in general, love shapes truth into words and ways that are patient and gentle (2 Timothy 2:24-25). Truth shapes how to show love.

This is how we know that we love God's children: it is by loving God and obeying his commands. for our love for God means that we obey his commands. And his commands are not too hard for us (1 John 5:2-3). It is not always obvious which acts demonstrate love. So John tells us some truth will help us know if our acts reflect agape love.

One truth test for our love is whether we are keeping the commandments of God toward people. In other words, love cannot be cut loose from the truth of God's will. Truth shapes how to show love. Love is the basis of all that God asks of us. Jesus says, "Whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets" (Matthew 7:12). This teaching goes hand in hand with what Jesus urges later in Luke 10:27, that the greatest commandment is to love God and the second greatest commandment is to love your neighbor as yourself.

We want to be appreciated, loved, treated with dignity, and esteemed. This, then, is the way we ought to treat others. The double benefit is that when we treat others that way, they begin to treat us the same and our relationships are characterized by depth, meaning and true education.

Love is the fundamental factor of all meaningful relationships. Love is an action -- the action of selflessness, of esteeming others above ourselves. All interpersonal problems could be solved with a faithful, mutual expression of love. Imagine what the world would be like if everyone acted in love. No war. No divorce. No AIDS. No murder. No rape. No tears. No sin.

Though Jesus knew that sin presently prevents perfect love, He held believers to a high standard of showing His love in this world: "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven" (Matthew 5:16).

The more you know the more powerful you are to change your world. There is no excuse for not being the best you possible. Now is the time to change your life, regain the power you have given away because you are waiting for someone else to fix things for you, and get what you know you deserve. So what are you waiting for?

Education is empowerment in many ways. It has the power to eradicate ignorance, poverty, and make individuals become independent because of their career choices. In life's supermarket, we are encouraged to take education seriously because it affords us to be self-reliant.

This is the basic understanding of education. But what is the power of education? Before fallen man was able to organize his mind to form various levels of civilizations, he was nurtured by earth. Nature weaned him in the recesses of her caves. His mind was disorganized, and his ways were wild as the beast of the fields. For thousands of years, he was dissatisfied with his condition. Man the pupil learned the ways of nature. His instincts were impeccable; his understanding of the senses given to him was his only hope for survival. He then understood the power of education. Though nomadic and fickle in thought, he withstood harsh winters and unsteady storms. His resilience was embedded into his identity. His passion to survive marked his identity. Fate and Providence etched into his mind a longing hope to excel higher above all the creatures in the fields.

His mind explored new horizons, forging new paths for generations to come. This is the power of education. For us to survive as a top species; we have to return to the basics of living. We have isolated ourselves and our thoughts from true wisdom. Today's man depends solely on self-only. It's not until we are faced with dilemma and calamity, then we realize our true inner potential.

 There is only one book that gives us a reliable answer to all questions of Human heart.  All we need to know about universe, revealed in the pages of Bible. In Genesis chapter one is a very simple narrative of the creation of the world; Simple, yet majestic in its beauty & profound in its depth. Creation alone can speak to our intelligence an imperishable language, never changing, because it remains within the bounds of eternal truth & of what is absolutely noble& beautiful. What a greatness of miracle  contained in every ray of light, every drop of dew, every pebble of the brook, every fragment of rock, every blade of grass; what a Magnificent of order & law there is revealed in every natural process– the motion of earth, the sun, & stars,  the flow of tides, the rush of the breeze, the braiding of the rainbow on the cloud, the change of seasons, the springing, growth, blossoming,& fruit-bearing of flower,& shrub,& tree! These are the works of God, the laws of God, the daily miracles of God. In all of them wisdom is seen; wisdom as profound as it is perfect, as incomprehensible as it is glorious, as magnificent in its minuteness as in its vastness, in the grain of sand as in the mighty mountain, in the blush of the unnoticed desert-flower as in the splendor of a new-lighted star. In all this there is wisdom; yet all these are but parts– mere fragments; ONLY in Christ Jesus, the incarnate Word– is the mighty whole contained. Jesus is "the Wisdom of God." In the works of creation God has displayed portions of his wisdom– but in Christ he has summed up & put forth THE WHOLE of it; so that it can be said of this Christ, He is the wisdom of God. In 1 Corinthians chapter one we see: 1) The Preeminence of God’s Wisdom (1:18) 2) The Permanence of God’s Wisdom (1:19–20) 3) The Power of God’s Wisdom (1:21-25) 4) The Paradox of God’s Wisdom (1:26-28) and finally: 5) The Purpose of God’s Wisdom ( 1:29-31).“but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.”(1 Corinthians.1:24.)

Hence it is that the knowledge of Christ not only transcends all other knowledge– but includes them all; the study of this wondrous embodiment of all that is in God is not only superior to– but actually embraces, all other studies. "In him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” It is of this Wisdom that the "wise man" speaks in the Proverbs so frequently. "The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was." Sometimes the name given is the "Wisdom of God;" sometimes it is the "Word of God." You cannot think of a question or life circumstance about which God’s Word is silent. The Bible is thus the one complete &fully sufficient testimony of the God who created us, containing within its pages everything that he has determined that we could need to be pleasing to Him. Christ is its grand subject, our good the design, and the glory of God its end. Let the Wisdom of God fill our memory, rule our heart and guide our feet.