Scriptorium Daily
Parents need to train their children to be able to distinguish the difference between occupation and vocation. An occupation is the way in which we earn money to feed and shelter ourselves. A vocation is the call of our life. Specifically, as a Christian, it is about our place as servants of God, and our submission of our lives to his kingdom purpose. Christians in today’s world often conflate occupation with vocation.
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Education is about our ability to understand reality. To say something is true is to say something about the reality that exists outside of us. The modern university is not dedicated to the examination of reality. Most institutes of higher education are not selling knowledge. They are selling success (occupation or career). You are told if you go to (place name of prestigious university here) we can enable you to be successful (that is get a good job that makes a great deal of money). If you ask a university like UC Berkeley questions about fulfillment, purpose or happiness they will not have a very clear answer (if any at all).
Secular universities are unable to answer questions about fulfillment and purpose because those ideas are outside of their paradigm of understanding. Secular universities hold to science as the arbiter of what counts as knowledge. Philosopher Dallas Willard points out that education in those universities is no longer about knowledge or understanding of humanity, but about exalting freedom, and pleasure.
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Parents need to show their children the difference between following the world’s definition of success, and success in the kingdom. The Apostle Paul states in Romans 12:2, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” It is the renewal of our mind with God’s truth that enables us to pursue a truly pleasing life with and for God. This is the type of faith that must permeate the life of our students in their educational endeavors. Without a strong Christian education they will be swimming in a pool of naturalistic muck that can infect the health of their soul for years to come. (more)
