As background to this post, my college is very fond of a book called The Outrageous Idea of Academic Faithfulness. I haven't read it yet, and maybe I should, but I keep seeing the title since my one roommate has it laying around.
Today in Sunday School we were discussing prayer (also a staff focus at camp this summer) and how it works with being a college student and especially how it interfaces with being busy. And in the midst of this discussion, I began wondering if Christian schools shoot themselves in the foot at this point. You see, I understand that classwork is important. And academic integrity, yes, is important. And academic faithfulness also.
But maybe, maybe, for some of us, the idea of academic faithfulness is no longer outrageous and sometimes it dances too close to idolatry and that is not faithfulness, not when it crams our minds and hearts and souls so that we feel that we do not have time for devotions and do not have time to truly rest because
honestly
something else always needs to be done.
I don't know how this change comes about. I am sure that there are still people who need to be reminded that we are students and that is important and we have a responsibility to be faithful stewards of the gifts (mental, physical, financial) that God has graced us with.
But...
I wonder...
What about the outrageous idea of truly seeking first His kingdom... and His righteousness?
Because our calling isn't to be faithful to academics. And we are small and finite and forget that and would rather pretend that it is.
Instead, my heart needs to remain in the focus of the ring-engravement...
Faithless to None, Yet Faithful to One.
And all else will come in its proper place, and all shall be most well.
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