How Much Did You Study?

In my later years of high school and all throughout college, I always heard people ask one particular question at test time. I recall the academic "competition" among my friends ramping up in the last two years of high school as everyone tried to get their grades in order so they could apply (and hopefully get in) to the college of their choice. Right before it was time to take a test, everyone always asked each other, "How much did you study?" The question continued to get asked in college all throughout engineering school because no one wanted to feel like they didn't study enough compared to someone else. Personally, I never cared how much other people studied or if I felt like I needed to study more because I always did the best I could and was content to get whatever test result I deserved. This philosophy helped keep me sane and prevented me from unnecessarily comparing myself to someone else. In school, a number or letter usually represents how much we know on a given subject, but in life, one book determines how much we really know about God.

In reference to the first 5 books of the Bible (all that was available at the time), God tells Joshua in Joshua 1:8, "Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful." I believe this scripture still applies today, except we now have the whole Bible to meditate on. We don't get to pick and choose the way we represent God because we are called to follow God with everything we have. It's almost as if God enjoys asking us the question I never liked being asked, "How much did you study?"

When God asks us to study the Bible, He isn't just asking us to know a few verses that make us feel warm and fuzzy inside. While it's good to memorize scripture that can lift others up, it's better to truly study The Bible to learn about who God and Jesus really are. Your faith will be challenged countless times in this life and you have to know what it is that you truly believe. Don't take a Pastor's word for it, open up your Bible and see for yourself. The next time your faith is challenged, your response will hinge on that annoying, but eternally important, question God is always asking, "How much did you study?"

-Jacob

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